Life After Death
by MisRcyLoe
Summary: Full summary inside. When Lilo is murdered, Stitch is distraught. However, as life goes on he begins to move on. After all, Lilo is dead. Right?
1. Chapter 1

Full Summary: Stitch is with Lilo and is very much in love with her. Her love for him was something so precious to him that he dared not to let go. However, somebody with a cruel, cold heart takes all that away from him simply by taking her life. Stitch is distraught as he tries picking up the pieces of his shattered world to move on. He figures falling in love again would help erase the painful memories of his love and gets in a relationship with a female experiment who had her eyes on him for a very long time. Just when he thinks he has moved on without her, an experiment who acts so much like his Lilo enters his life. In fact, this new experiment just might be Lilo!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lilo and Stitch or their characters. I only own story, plot, and the characters Hale (Hah-le), Arlene (R-lean) Bud, and Aliella (Ah-lee-eh-luh)

A thunderous shout of 'Surprise!' stopped the thirteen year old girl in her tracks. Her chocolate brown eyes watered with tears of joy at her excited little family. Beside her was her friend, beaming at the surprised expression on her face. She took the girl by the shoulders and pushed her in, closing the door fully once the girls entered inside the home. The astonished teen scanned the room, her heart pounding with enthusiasm at the beautiful decorations that adorned the walls. Her smile grew wider at the balloons that dangled above her head and the purple banner that read 'Happy Birthday!' in large, bold, yellow letters.

"Happy birthday Lilo." The brunette girl whispered to her, grinning at the still shocked emotion on her face.

Lilo turned her head to smile gratefully at her friend. She then bolted to her older sister's outstretched arms. The young woman bent down, holding out her arms for the birthday girl. Lilo crashed into them, trying to hug her only sibling. "Happy Birthday Lilo." The woman replied merrily.

"I'd love to hug you Nani, but little Hale is in my way." Lilo smiled, looking down to observe the rounded belly filled with a baby boy.

"What about me? Don't I get a hug?" A man from beside Nani asked as he knelt down to Lilo's height.

Lilo dove into his arms and nodded when he softly wished her a happy birthday. She was all grins as she pulled away, ecstatic that her family did something like this for her. "This is great guys. Thanks."

"Don't thank us." A one eyed alien, who goes by the name of Pleakley, replied. "Thank that little mon- er, boyfriend of yours. He's the one who came up with the whole thing."

The crowd, consisting of her adopted uncle Jumba, Aunt Pleakley, Nani, David, Angel, other experiments, and Victoria, dispersed to make room for another guest to show his face. Stitch walked forward, a large beam on his face as he approached his giddy girlfriend of three months. After the day he and Lilo took their friendship up a step, he vowed to make her every day memorable. She had done so much for him these past years and he was determined to make her happy for the rest of her life.

Lilo sprinted to his arms, hugging him tighter than she did for her sister and brother-in-law. She closed her eyes when she felt his comforting arms snake around her back to hold her close. She nuzzled into his chest, trying to conceal her tears. Lilo had never known love could be so wonderful. She had thought love was just a word that romantic authors like to exaggerate on to make his or her story interesting and earn money. However, when she and Stitch fell in love, she couldn't compare their love to sappy love stories. She felt no author could use any kind of descriptive words to describe how beautiful their love truly is.

She pulled away after a moment, looking up to gaze into his loving black orbs. He had done so much for her that sometimes she felt she didn't deserve him. He filled the empty void after her parent's deaths. He stood up for her when Myrtle and her posy badgered her, even if it did lead to violence. He was always there to dry the tears from her eyes and held her in her moments of weakness. He had done that and plenty more, which made her feel so loved in her family. "You did all this?"

Stitch smiled, keeping her body close to his. "Yeah, I did. It's my way of saying thank you for all that you have done for me. It's not much, but-"

Lilo tapped her index finger on his lips, silencing his speech. "It's everything. Thank you."

She removed her finger and replaced it with her lips. Stitch reacted quickly, gliding his lips across hers. They were lost in a new world until a very rude voice interrupted them. "Alright love birds! Break it up! It's time for the birthday girl to blow out the candles."

Stitch and Lilo broke apart to look at Angel, who had an annoyed emotion on her face. Lilo sighed as she went up to the table. Stitch watched her back and was about to follow her until Angel came up next to him. "I told you she was the one for you."

Stitch rolled his eyes. "I know that now. How are you coming along with Kixx?"

Angel squealed. "I think he likes me! Okay, I accidentally dropped my weight on the floor and you know what he did? He picked it up, smiled at me, and gave it to me! He winked and smiled at me! Stitch, do you think that means he likes me? Do you think that's signs of flirting? Do you think I stand a chance with him? Do you think-"

"Do you think you could ask 100 questions at 90mph? Angel, I know you like him, but do you mind if I watch my girlfriend blow out her candles?" Stitch questioned.

Angel chuckled. "Okay. But just answer me this, do you think he likes me?"

Stitch rolled his eyes. "Why don't you ask him." Before she could retort, he swiftly strolled past her to observe the girl who sat on the table.

His heart pounded in his chest as he thought about the times they had been through together. All those times where it seemed friendship was more appropriate than love, now been proven wrong. Even though it was such a small thing, he loved how her legs curled under her and how her face hovered above the chocolate cake. Her long hair curtained her face, hiding her smile.

Lilo blushed slightly as everyone sang the birthday song in harmony. She wasn't used to receiving so much attention from her loving family. When they finished the song, Lilo blew out the candles to hush their voices urging her to blow out the cake. Her forceful breath engulfed the fire that lit the tip of her candles, causing it to fade and leave behind the scent of smoke.

Everyone clapped as she slid off the table, accepting hugs. Her mind reeled with thoughts that now she was a teen. That means she only has three more years to go before she could drive. She was now permitted to go on dates with Stitch, in his Kenny disguise of course. Best of all, she was one year closer to becoming Stitch's wife. Yes, she was thinking about marriage already, but she couldn't help the fact she was head-over-heels in love with him. She had been waiting for the spectacular day when she would claim Stitch as her husband rather than her boyfriend. Every time she looks into his eyes, she could see her bright future with him. She dreamed of it, even tasted it in his kiss. She had even wondered what their kids would look like and what powers or talents they would acquire from them. She couldn't wait.

Stitch noticed his girlfriend's stupor and grinned as he strolled over to her. He knew that every time she spaces out like that, she was thinking of their marriage. He couldn't blame her though for having these thoughts, because he was having them too. He so much despised the rule for marry. The only way Lilo and him could get married now is unless they get Nani's consent to let them marry. He knew Nani would never let them marry until Lilo is about 19 or 20 years old. He hated that. Lilo loves him and he most certainly loves her too. Shouldn't that be a good enough reason why to marry? Shouldn't they marry purely out of love rather than age?

He walked up to Lilo, snapping her out of her dreamland. "Not yet buchee-bu. Still have six years left to go."

"I know." Lilo huffed angrily, crossing her arms irritably. "I still don't see why Nani would want me to wait until I'm 19. We love each other, shouldn't we marry because of that?"

"I tried telling her that, but-" Stitch started, but was interrupted.

"Save it. If you tell me what she told you, I'll get mad at her and today isn't the day to be mad." Lilo replied with a smile. "Besides, it's almost like we are husband and wife. We live in the same house, share the same bed, take baths together."

"All we need is a bunch of little Lilo's and Stitch's causing havoc." Stitch added as a joke.

Lilo laughed. "I wonder what our kids would look like."

"They'd be beautiful like their mother and cute like me." Stitch replied, then kissed her cheek. "Come on birthday girl, let's have some of that cake!"

He took her hand and led her into the kitchen. She stayed in the living room while Stitch went after the cake. She waited a few moments before Stitch came back out with mouth watering German Chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream on the side. Lilo sat on the floor and he sat down across from her, handing her one of the two spoons he brought along with him.

She dipped her spoon in the ice cream while Stitch dipped his in the cake. They took a bite of the delicious dessert, cooing in satisfaction after their tongues devoured the sweet meal. They indulged themselves in conversation as they ate. After much chatting, they finished the dessert and Stitch went to discard the plate and plastic spoons. When he came back, he wasn't alone. All of Lilo's family members and friends gestured her to the couch where each person showered her with gifts and demanded her to open theirs first. Lilo unwrapped the present from her uncle Jumba, marveling at the laptop that revealed itself to her. Jumba explained it could play any game such as play station one or two, game boy, X-box, and even a board game. All she had to do to play a board game, was insert a small piece from the game and the screen views the game she desired. She thanked him then grabbed the present that Pleakley was shoving in her face.

The opening presents continued with Lilo appreciating every gift she received. However, she was a bit disappointed that Stitch hadn't got anything for her. She instantly scolded herself for being so selfish. This surprise party was her present and she adored it. After all, his love and eternal devotion to her was the greatest gift he could ever give to her.

Stitch looked to Nani who nodded at him, encouraging him. He turned back to Lilo and grasped her hand. She laughed as he eagerly tugged her out the door. She tried to even paces with him, but that was difficult considering he was practically dragging her past the trees that loomed above them. She commanded him to slow down, but he only did so slightly. She gave out a shriek of exhilaration as the world whooshed past her.

Finally, Stitch slowed down, causing Lilo to bump into him. He grabbed her to maintain both of their balances and walked forward. Lilo followed him, curious about where he was leading her. He led her over to a tree standing isolated in the emerald blades of grass. Lilo didn't see anything significant about the tree despite the fact the evergreen leaves keeping it's lovely green color. That is, until, Stitch pointed his claw at the inscriptions.

Lilo stepped closer, her eyes squinting to decipher the scrawls that embedded itself in the bark. The first signatures she saw were Lika and Analu Pelekai, her grandma and grandpa. Below that, were Aliella and Hale Pelekai, her mom and dad. Then the last signatures read, Nani and David Rowena (Sorry if that's wrong, I don't know what David last name is), her sister and brother-in-law.

"Nani told me about this tree. She said this is the place your grandpa used to hang out when he was a little boy. He would always climb to the first branch and do tricks in the air as he jumped down. When he turned 21, he showed your grandma and this became their tree. This is where he proposed to her. After they had your dad, your grandpa showed him this tree when he was 17 and told him that when he finds the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with, they should carve their names into this tree and proposed to her. When your grandpa died of cancer, your dad went with it. He met your mom, fell in love, then they carved their names into this tree and proposed to her. When Nani turned 14, your dad told her about this tree and told her she had to carve her name into this tree with her lover's name beside it. That's exactly what David and Nani did and he proposed to her after many rendezvous. Long story I know." Stitch chuckled.

Lilo smiled. "So, are we going to carve our names into here?"

Stitch bent down to pick up a rock with a jagged point and handed it to Lilo. "All these signatures starts with a lady's name, so you go first."

Lilo turned to face the tree. She had never known that a simple tree could hold a thousand memories of not only her parents, but her grandparents as well. Before she could carve her name, she reached out to touch her grandfather's name. She had never met him before. He died before she was born. She had to get stories from her grandma and dad about what a good man he was. It made her heart wrench in grief that she was never awarded the chance to meet her grandfather. Her hand touched Lika's name and she closed her eyes. She remembered her grandma's pearly white smile and twinkling blue eyes. Shortly after she became close to her grandmother, she quickly died as well and was laid to rest beside her husband, Analu. Her eyes turned to the names of Aliella and Hale Pelekai. A lump formed in her throat as she took in the sight of her parent's names. Her eyes began to water with tears, causing her vision to go blurry. She involuntarily released a small sob, but that sob was enough to attract Stitch's awareness.

He strolled over to her, bringing his arms around her waist. She turned in his arms, still clutching the rock tightly as she slowly turned to bawl into his chest. Stitch caressed her hair, knowing how deeply she missed her parents. He rubbed her back to sooth her nerves. He didn't let her go until he heard her sobs pacify. He released her and looked into her eyes, seeing her brown pools sparkle with tears. Even with her eyes bloodshot and tear streaks lining her face, she still looked pretty to him. He brought his arm around her shoulders, pecking her cheek before she turned back to the tree. Carefully, she glided the rock across the bark, creating her name. When she was done with the o, she handed it to Stitch who began carving his name as well.

When he was done, he dropped the rock and turned her chin to face him. "You ok?" She nodded wordlessly and he went on. "I love you Lilo."

She grinned. "I love you too. I'm sorry about that, it just brought back so many memories."

"Enlighten me on those memories." Stitch demanded softly.

She sighed. "There's too many, so why bother starting?"

Stitch nodded. "Lilo, I know you want to marry and believe me, I want to as well. But as much as I hate to say it, Nani's right. We are too young to be legally married. However, we can pretend." This caused Lilo to look up at him, her eyes wide. She opened her mouth to question him, but all that came out was an incoherent stutter. Stitch continued. "You say we're almost like a married couple, living in the same house, sharing beds, all that. So, though we may not be married legally on Earth, we can be married in each other's eyes." He brought out his extra arms, which surprised Lilo. It had been so long since he revealed his extra features. Ever since the fall of Leroy, he had never brought them out and this was almost four years ago. She noticed on his bottom outstretched palm was a velvety blue box. She stroked the velvet then pulled her hand away when Stitch took the box and extracted his limbs. He opened the box, revealing a diamond ring. "It was your mother's." Lilo tore her gaze away from the gorgeous ring to the eyes of her lover. "Will you be my wife?"

Lilo's eyes sprung with tears for what seemed to be the millionth time that day, except this time, it was out of joy rather than sadness. She flung herself into his arms, crushing his neck. "This has to be the greatest birthday I've ever had. Yes Stitch! I will."

He beamed as he held her, proud that he had caused yet another ecstatic feeling in her life. She pulled away to crash her lips upon his. He tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her closer. After a minute, they pulled away. She grinned as he slipped the ring on her finger, smiling at her as he did it. He then took her hand and led her home. She rested her head on his shoulder, her mind reeling with thoughts at how her bad luck had changed drastically. She went from an unloved, depressed orphan in danger of the government seizing her, to a very much loved little girl with a smile on her face and a carefree air around her. She tilted her head up to the alien who had changed all that luck for her, causing her to kiss his neck, which was the closest she could get to him.

They arrived home, noticing the house looked picked up and vacant. Before Lilo could step inside, Stitch stopped her. She gazed at him questioningly until he swooped down and lifted her. She squealed in joy as he cradled her bride style and entered the house with her in his arms. She laughed as he carried her to the couch and gently laid her on top of it. He joined her and she sat up, leaning over to kiss him once more. Stitch eagerly acquiesced her request and brought his arms around her. She scooted closer to him, wanting to be near him.

"Well look at the next Nani and David."

The two broke away at the voice. Lilo blushed and Stitch scowled when they saw Pleakley enter the room with a mop in his hand from the kitchen. "What are you doing here Pleakley?" Stitch asked while gritting his teeth.

"I do live here you know. Oh and, Nani wants to have another family night since it's Lilo's birthday." Pleakley replied and contributed to their round of groans. "I know, but if we want to make the terrifying wrath of hormones to stay away, we have to do what she wants us to do. You two have about five hours before the movie starts. Make the best of it."

Stitch grinned as he grabbed Lilo's hand. "We will." Then they shot out of the room and rode the platform to their dome where they tried out Lilo's new gift from her Uncle Jumba. They were very amazed about the gift and they stayed up there for all the five hours trying out different games until Nani hollered at them it was time for them to come down.

Nani allowed Lilo to pick out the movie as long as it wasn't too gruesome. With Stitch's approval, she didn't want him to hate her pick, they returned to the room with the movie in hand. She gave it to Nani who stuck it in the VCR. Pleakley, Jumba, Nani, and David shared the couch. Nani laying on David for a pillow while Jumba and Pleakley just settled with their hands or the back of the couch. Lilo and Stitch sat on the floor in front of the coffee table, leaning into each other as they shared a bag of popcorn. In the middle of the movie, the bag was empty and Stitch waded it and tossed it perfectly at the bin. Lilo's eyelids grew heavy and she fell asleep on her lover's shoulder.

Stitch heard a faint snore beside him and he smiled. He kissed her head before gently leading her down to the ground. He let her lay on his lap, stroking her hair as she slept. He then finished watching the movie. When the screen darkened to black and credits began scrolling, Pleakley went to turn the light on. Stitch took Lilo into his arms and carried her to the dome. He set her on the far side of the bed, ripping the sheets back then created a comfortable head rest for her. He reached over to grab her and tuck her in bed.

"Stitch." Lilo moaned in her sleep, cracking her eyelids slightly. "Join me."

"I will buchee-bu. You just rest okay. I'm going to go help clean up, then I'll join you." Stitch bent forward to kiss her forehead then left.

He had never given it a thought that he wouldn't join her after all.

Downstairs, pandemonium ensued. Pleakley hustling around the house while bickering with Jumba about the slight romance in the movie. Nani and David arguing that they needed to get to the store to buy some more peanut butter. Lately, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches had oddly been Nani's cravings. After much arguing, David succumbed. He met Nani's hormonal rage and he certainly didn't want a reunion.

"You know, you are being part of problem surfer boy." Jumba replied.

David just scowled at him then followed after Nani. Pleakley watched him go. "I think I'll go too. There's a new style in the catalog that I like to try out."

With that, Pleakley disappeared behind the door. Stitch turned to Jumba. "What about you?"

"Evil Genius going to work in ship. New project in there that is waiting for completion! Ahaha!" He boomed, shaking the house vigorously with his thunderous laughter.

"Shut up Jumba!" Stitch growled. "Lilo's asleep! Do not wake her."

"Sorry." Jumba chuckled. "Now, what will you be doing."

"I'll go after Nani and David. Nani says all she wants is peanut butter, but she ends up buying loads more." Stitch declared, rolling his eyes.

Without another word, Stitch bolted out the door. He dashed down the porch steps, reaching the buggy in time before it took off. David had caught the sight of Stitch and stopped long enough for him to hop in. Of course, Nani demanded Stitch to tell her who's watching over Lilo, to which Stitch answered Jumba. This made Nani feel skeptical about leaving her baby sister to an alien who had no expertise in babysitting, but she didn't have the chance to leap out of the miniature car when David's foot applied pressure to the gas pedals.

At the store, Stitch was correct about Nani not only buying peanut butter. The cart's wheels creaked as they strolled through the store, thanks to the ample of products piled on top of it. Stitch with his amazing strength, pushed the cart while David tried talking Nani into letting them go home. Of course, she would blow up at him that they needed the stuff for their baby to be perfectly healthy and happy. David reluctantly complied to her request, glancing at Stitch with annoyance at Nani's behavior. Stitch just shrugged his shoulders and flashed him a look of sympathy before they went on.

As they were looking through baby clothes, Nani's cell phone went off. She dug through her purse for it and plucked it from its confines. She read the number, which said 'Home'. She sighed, thinking it was Jumba asking her about something idiotic about the household appliances. She lifted the phone to her ear after pressing the green button. She expected to hear a thick Russian voice, but her heart plummeted when she heard her sister's weak voice.

"N-Nani… please come… home." Lilo's voice groaned through the receiver. She heard spluttering, as though Lilo was coughing up something. "S-someone t-… tore the door down. H-he hur-hurt m-me. Please… please… please… he-help me."

"Lilo?" Nani questioned frantically. Concern overwhelmed her being, which caused the baby inside her to kick in insecurity at his mother's obvious change of mood. "Lilo? Sweetie?"

At the name Lilo, Stitch stepped away from the cart to observe the woman. He tried reassuring himself that Lilo was fine, but judging from Nani's tone, he was beginning to feel the arousal of worry tugging his heartstrings.

"Lilo? Lilo can you hear me? Lilo!" Nani screamed, tears now brimming the edges of her eyes. All she could hear was silence. She hung up the phone and turned to David who also wore a worried look as well. "It was Lilo. I think she's in danger. Oh David, we have to get home!"

Stitch didn't even wait for them to react. Once the thought of Lilo being in grave danger hit him, he tore to the exit of the store. Nani and David raced as fast as they could to the exit, trying to catch up with Stitch before he leaves them all behind. Luckily, they passed Pleakley and informed him of Lilo's call. Without one word of protest, Pleakley dropped the shirt he was observing and ran after them.

Stitch reached the parking lot before them, racing to the buggy standing alone in the lot. Somehow, the family reached him and they hopped inside the buggy. Stitch hopped into the driver's seat, wanting so badly to reach Lilo before she…

_No, don't think like that. _He thought to himself as the tears began to form. _She'll be alright. This is Lilo, she's strong. We'll reach her in time. I'll still have my wife._

However, Stitch was deathly wrong. Once he parked the car in the carport, he leaped out of his driver's seat and bolted straight for the house. Instead of turning the knob to open the door, he ripped the door from its hinges, discarding it on the porch. He raced straight to the dome, where he had just left his love. At the same time, Jumba stepped off the platform, his clothes drenched in crimson blood. Lilo's blood.

Jumba spotted his experiment and bent down to catch him. Stitch crashed into Jumba's arms, flailing desperately to get out of his grasp. He wanted to see Lilo. He didn't want to hear what Jumba had to say. He wanted to see it for himself. He wanted to see her, to see if she really is hurt or if this was just a cruel joke. Stitch hoped it was a joke, but he felt cut off from the world when Jumba began to speak.

"Too late. She's gone. Murdered." Those were the only words that clicked into Stitch's brain. Too late, she's gone, and murdered rang through his head over and over again. The words dissolved itself into his brain, picturing what his creator meant. Suddenly, his world crashed around him and shattered into a million shards. Lilo was dead.

Instantly, he began struggling, the tears beginning to spring from his eyelids. "I want to see her!" He growled, flailing his limbs. "Let me go! I want to see her!"

"626, you wouldn't be liking sight." Jumba replied, using every bit of strength he had to overpower his creation.

"No! No! I refuse to believe she's gone. Not Lilo! She's fine ok! She just needs to get to the hospital and they'll heal her right? Let me go!" Stitch shouted.

"Jumba being sorry 626. But, there's nothing we can do. She's gone." Jumba whispered to him, trying but failing hugely to comfort his devastated Stitch.

"You're lying! She's not gone! She can't be! She said she loves me and promised that we would marry. Blitznac Jumba! She can't be gone!" Stitch roared as he slipped from the bulky alien's massive arms and boarded the lift, his heart ramming in his chest as what he would see once he reached the top.

The room reeked of blood and death. The smell alone made his knees buckle underneath him. His legs gave out and he had to settle with crawling over to the bed. With a shaky hand, terrified of what he would see, he pulled himself up on the bed. He was startled to feel, instead of warm inviting sheets, he felt wet and bitter sheets greeting his warm body. He searched the darkness for his love's body and almost shrieked when he felt her cold hand. He ran his hand down her arm, shivering at the coldness that engulfed every inch of her skin. His hand found her clothed chest and he briefly thanked the heavens she wasn't violated.

He debated whether he should move his hand up or down. He settled for south and his hand complied. He barely moved his hand down until he felt fresh wetness damping his palm. His heart stopped, time seemed to freeze, and the world seemed to stop spinning to watch what was happening as well. Stitch's breathing grew irregular when he felt a slight burning and more wetness. He freaked and turned over to turn on the light switch, not even registering the thought he could've used his glow in the dark vision. Once the light shone in the room, Stitch noticed he left a little bit of blood on the switch. His eyes widened as he glanced at his quivering hands, breathing shallowly when he took in the sight of blood.

Slowly, he turned his head, fearful of what he'll see. Everyone had always thought thee invincible experiment 626 was fearful of nothing. No beastly creature could frighten him. No loud noises could cause him to stir. No one with even the scariest of features could faze him. The only thing that could scare him, was being trapped underwater, which was very understandable considering the greatness in his molecular density. Other than that, 626 wasn't frightened of anything. Nothing could ever startle him. However, once he turned his head, he knew he had a fear that ran much deeper than being trapped underwater. In fact, he wished he was in a small box filled to the top with water than facing this. What he saw had to be his deepest fear. Seeing this sight tore his heart as though it was a piece of paper, his soul shattered like glass, and for the first time in his life, he cried. This time, really cried.

"Lilo."

There she laid, drenched in her own blood. Her lively tan skin now pale and deathly cold. Her hair in a disheveled mess and coated red with blood. Her stomach had a huge gash, presumably from a plasma shot; definitely not from a bullet. In her hand, she clinched tightly to the phone which now had blood stains on it as well. She clenched the phone as though it was the only life saving tool she had left. She depended on the phone to get her help, but she couldn't dwell for long. She had given up and now, her so called husband stared at her in disbelief that she was really gone.

"Lilo… no…" Just saying her name was enough for him to fall on top of her, despite her blood soaking his ocean blue fur and weep at the pain of losing his love.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lilo and Stitch or their characters. I only own story, plot, and the characters Hale (Hah-le), Arlene (R-lean) Bud, and Aliella (Ah-lee-eh-luh)

Stitch didn't count the tears that had fallen nor did he calculate how long he had been up there. All he could do was cradle Lilo's dead body to his chest, pouring out his anguish and pain. He rocked back and forth, dotting kisses all over her pretty face. Myriads of questions bombarded his thoughts, but all he could ask was why. Why did she have to go? Why on her birthday no less and after he proposed to her? Why after they were going to be so called husband and wife? The biggest question though stood out to him and caused his being to bubble with fury. Who dared harm her?

All of a sudden, the tears turned from those of sorrow to those of rage. Whomever had the audacity to kill the one person who meant the most to him was going to die. Oh but not just an easy death. Oh no, he was going to make them pay, make them bleed, make them regret ever meeting him, and make them plead for death even though he wouldn't give it to them until they've suffered just as much as he has.

The platform whirred, but Stitch ignored it. He heard someone walking up to him, but again he pretended as though he didn't notice it. He couldn't ignore it any longer when someone placed her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. Stitch didn't have to look to realize it was Nani. He could tell her jasmine scent miles away.

Nani kneeled down beside him, wrapping her arms around Stitch. "Jumba wants her body."

Stitch shook his head. "No. No one's going to touch her ever again."

"No one will have to." Nani said. Stitch didn't respond. "I know it's going to be hard letting her go, but-"

"How do you know this is going to be hard?" Stitch asked, his face turning to look at Nani. "You've never lost anyone you cared so much about!"

Nani stared at him flabbergasted. "I lost my parents when I was a teenager! Losing your parents at a young age and having to take care of your wild baby sister alone is something a teen should never have to go through. Besides, you're not the only one who loved Lilo, she was my baby sister and I loved her too!"

"But you weren't always by her side!" Stitch retorted, his anger heightening. "You didn't know her half as well as I did! You-You didn't fall in love with her." Nani patted his back, knowing he was only distraught about Lilo's unexpected death that he just needed an outlet and she just happened to be there when he desperately needed release. "You weren't a little monster wanted dead by the grand council woman. You didn't meet Lilo and have her love warming your icy heart. You didn't share all those adventures with her and you didn't become her first love. You didn't give her the first kiss. You didn't plan on marrying her! That was all me and now, now I don't know what to do. I don't know if I'll ever get through this. I don't think I can handle losing the one I love the most."

"I know you loved her." Nani started but paused when Stitch interrupted her.

"Stop saying love in past tense! I still love her. I always will." He looked back at her again, tears leaking from his ebony orbs. "I can't say goodbye."

"Neither can I, but either way, she's gone. We have to cope with that." Nani reached out for Lilo.

Stitch held her protectively to his chest, yelling in choked sobs. "No! I don't want to lose her! Please, no! Do not take her from me! Please no."

"Stitch, you have to let her go. Come on and give her to me. You can't just keep her here and watch her turn into a skeleton. Give her to me." Nani commanded gently.

Stitch kissed her face, knowing Nani's right. There was absolutely nothing he could do but give her up. Even if it was going to be painful to him. "I swear I will find your killer." Stitch muttered to her with venom dripping from his tone. "And when I do find him, he'll pay. I swear that he will."

Reluctantly, he handed Lilo's cadaver to Nani. The woman released a wave of tears as she clutched Lilo's body to her bosom and rode the elevator downstairs. Stitch leapt off the bed, following Nani down the elevator as well. He saw Nani passing Lilo to Jumba. Before Jumba could even touch the girl, Stitch tackled him to the floor. He clutched Jumba's Hawaiian shirt in his balled fists. Pleakley, Nani, and David all took a step back.

"You were here!" Stitch snarled viciously. "Why didn't you do anything!"

"626, ship is being very far away. I could not hear what is going around in the house!" Jumba shouted in his defense.

Stitch growled, baring his razor sharp teeth as he shook his creator wildly. "You didn't even check on her!"

"Stitch, it would be silly to check on a girl who's asleep in her bed." Pleakley replied to support his best friend.

Stitch turned to look at Pleakley. His anger and pain doubled when he thought of an accusation for Pleakley. "And if you weren't so hyped about your stupid fashion stuff, you would've stayed here and protected Lilo the best you could."

"Stitch, I know you're feeling emotional right now, but-" David started, but Stitch also had an accusation for him too.

"This is entirely your fault!" Stitch screamed at him. "If you hadn't knocked up Nani, she wouldn't have these stupid cravings and we wouldn't have gone to the store to leave Lilo at home to die!"

"You came with us!" Nani snapped to stand up for her husband. "You were her boyfriend and fiancé, you should've stayed there to protect her."

Stitch felt all his anger coming back to him, only this time it was aimed for himself. He was supposed to protect Lilo. Instead of leaving with them, he should've joined Lilo in bed and attack whomever disturbed their sleep. Due to the fact he didn't stay, Lilo was left vulnerable for anybody to harm. Nani was right. It was entirely his fault Lilo was gone. His entire fault.

"Now it's nobody's fault except for the killer's. Stitch, go and alert the experiments, Pleakley or Jumba, contact Victoria. Nani needs her rest and I'm going to look after her." David replied as he handed Lilo to Jumba and steered a hysterical Nani back up to their bedroom.

"Bigger Girl's husband is being right 626. It is being nobody's fault except for the soul who killed her. Now go be telling experiments about Little Girl's demise. Go on." Jumba urged as he carried Lilo to the ship with Pleakley beside him.

Stitch followed their orders and left the house. The chilly breeze swarmed around him, causing him to shiver as he made his way to the buggy. He stuck the key in the ignition and drove off. The one person he wanted to tell of Lilo's death the most was Angel. His and Lilo's best friend besides Victoria.

Meanwhile, Victoria with her brunette hair up in a bun leaned back on her bed with a book in her hand. A small purple bat dubbed Snooty flew into the room after having his dinner. He perched himself on his cage, licking his outstretched wings to clean them. As he was licking himself and Victoria was reading, the phone began to ring. Victoria marked her page and set it on the desk adjacent to her. She reached for the phone and lifted it up to her ear.

Snooty flapped his wings, flying to Victoria now that she was done with her book. Sensing her pet approaching her, Victoria lifted her palm for Snooty to land. Once he had landed on her palm, she cradled him to her chest, stroking his soft fur. Snooty let out a small purr as he cuddled into Victoria's chest.

He heard his mistress giggling. "Oh hi Pleakley! Hey, how did Lilo like Stitch's gift?" She let another chuckle, but after a second, Snooty felt her body stiffen. Her hand stopped petting him and he looked up to see tears streaking her pale face. "Oh no. Are you serious? Please tell me this is a joke. What? How- how can that be possible?"

Snooty was very concerned now. Victoria murmured a few words before hanging up. She brought her small hands to her face and wept openly. Snooty flew up to her face, causing her to hear the beating of his wings and look at him. "Lilo's dead Snooty. Someone killed her. On her birthday of all days!"

That night, Victoria sobbed while holding her furry friend to her chest, feeling the weight of the loss of her best friend weighing down her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Stitch had reached Angel's place. He pounded furiously at the door, tears pouring from his eyes. The insane knocking resulted in the door being swung open by a worried and curious Angel. She saw Stitch's distressed look on his face and tugged him inside. Stitch didn't pay attention to Kixx sitting on the couch behind him, instead he turned to Angel.

"Lilo's dead." Stitch replied.

Angel looked shock and disbelief traced her features. "What?"

"Lilo's dead. Someone killed her." Stitch continued.

Angel remained silent, then laughed. "You almost got me there Stitch. No really, what did you come here for?"

Stitch growled angrily. "Exactly what I said! While Jumba was in the ship and the rest of us besides Lilo left to go shopping, someone killed her."

"Are you serious?" Angel asked, horror clenching her being.

Stitch nodded. "I truly wish I wasn't, but I am. Lilo's dead. She's gone."

Suddenly, it seemed as though the reality of the situation seemed perfectly clear. Lilo was gone. Whether he wasn't ready to lose her and couldn't say goodbye, it didn't matter. He already lost her and he has to cope with that. Even if he never says goodbye, she still wasn't coming back. She was still going to heaven where she would be with her parents for all eternity instead of being by his side. Even if he could never let go of his dear Lilo, he was still never going to see her again, never have the chance to marry her, never have those kids they had been talking about. Never. Lilo was gone and somehow, someway, he had to cope with that fact.

The world began dimming in front of him. He saw spots dancing before his eyes. His legs felt weak and could no longer support him. His head felt as though it was clogged up with too much information. He fell forward, meeting the ground up close before he blacked out.

Angel bent down to pick him up, carrying him to the couch with Kixx's help. Angel fell to the floor in a heap, crying into her paws. Kixx lifted her back on her feet and took her into a warm embrace. Angel cried on his broad shoulder, spilling out her grief for the loss of her friend. She didn't know how Stitch and the family would ever be able to deal with the passing of Lilo. All she knew, was that it was going to be a long process. A process she never thought she would have to go through.

"I'll go tell the experiments." Kixx whispered into her fur. "You stay here and take care of Stitch."

Angel nodded and watched as his back disappeared into the wintry night. She turned back to Stitch, cocooning him in a series of blankets to keep him warm. After she did that, she sat on the couch beside him, sobbing into her hands once more. Her sobbing alerted Stitch and he awoke. He noticed her weeping and began to cry too. He took Angel into his arms, both of them bawling into each other's shoulder.

Kixx returned five minutes later, not caring about Stitch's arms touching his Angel, his buchee-bu. He knew they both needed each other's comfort. "I went to tell Yaarp. He's going to call the experiments over to the hula school and he's going to announce it from up there."

Stitch nodded. "Thanks Kixx."

"Yeah, now do you mind letting go of my girl?" Kixx asked jokingly.

Stitch grinned as he turned to a blushing Angel. "Oh really?"

Angel's ears folded on her back. "Yes. Kixx told me of his feelings when he dropped me off after Lilo's birthday party."

Stitch turned to Kixx, sorrow on his face. Of course he was thrilled for his friend, but jealousy that Kixx gets to have his love and he couldn't coursed through his veins. He shook his pig like cousin's hand. "Congratulations Kixx. Take care of her."

Kixx grinned. "Oh I will."

Stitch turned around to watch them cuddle into each other's embrace. Angel drenched his fur with her constant flow of tears while he held her soothingly. Stitch spun around and left Angel's comfy home to drive back to his place. He entered the house to see it was completely vacant. He concluded Nani and David went to bed and Jumba and Pleakley retired to their little beds as well. Even though he didn't feel like going to sleep, he rode the platform up to his dome.

He observed the room that held so many precious memories of his love. Memories of them playing dolls together on this very ground he stands upon. Memories of the pillow fight that erupted between them and was stopped by a scolding Nani. Memories of him professing his love for her over and over again after they had shared a kiss. Memories of her telling him she loved him and will never leave him. Memories of when they just laid on the bed and talked about their future. The future that they had wanted, but could never have. The future that some insolent person took away without any regret.

He shook his head as the tears began building up again. He looked to the bed where he had found Lilo's body. The image of her lying on that very bed where she was killed haunted him. It sent shivers down his spine and caused him to quiver. He approached the bed slowly, sliding under the silk sheets. Lilo's scent filled his nostrils, making it impossible for him to bare with the fact she was gone. Unable to fall asleep, he threw the sheets off him. There was just too many memories of her for him to register. Too many memories that kept him from falling asleep. He yanked the sheets from the bed and furiously clutched a pillow.

He glanced at the picture of her looking so carefree while holding a beach ball. New anger formed, except this time it was aimed at Lilo. If she had heard someone walking in, then why didn't she escaped? He had taught her the most easiest way of climbing down the dome without falling to her doom whenever there's danger lurking inside the house. She should've called sooner and maybe then, he could've caught her killer before they could do serious harm to her. But no! She was just that stupid to not do a thing until it was too late. How could she have done this to him?

He glared out through the window that framed the scene of a night sky dotted with tiny stars. He screamed out into the night. "This is all your fault! You were so stupid. I taught you how to escape, why didn't you listen! Because of you, I don't think I can ever step foot in this room again."

With that being said, he spun on his heels, still clutching the sheet and pillow, and rode the platform downstairs. Angrily, he tossed the pillow to the head of the couch in the living room and threw the blanket on top of it. He climbed up the couch, laying his head on the pillow and covering his body with the sheet. Still, it wasn't only Lilo's original scent that nerved him, it was also the stench of her blood. He growled as he once more tossed the sheet off him.

He grabbed it with his claws, slicing through it as though his claws were daggers. His teeth followed suit, tearing up the silky fabric. When the blanket was nothing but bits of pieces on the floor, he turned to the pillow. His claws gripped the pillow with uncontrollable anger that he ripped it in two. Cotton snowed all around him, pieces of it sticking to his fur. He proceeded tearing up the pillow until his anger somewhat quelled.

He growled furiously once more. "Now look what you made me do!" He screamed. "You made me like this! I hate you!" He screamed. "I hate you." He fell into a heap in front of the couch, sobs consuming him.

This was how the family found him. Jumba rushed over to him while everyone else left, knowing Jumba would be the only one Stitch would confide in. They also didn't want to be there in case Stitch does attack. He could be very dangerous when angered and they could tell he was livid.

Jumba embraced his slightly tall experiment. Stitch clutched onto his purple flesh, tears trailing down his cheeks. "I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her." He mumbled bitterly. He said it over and over again, as though he was trying to make himself believe it. "I hate her."

"No you don't. You just are hating her death. Never say you hate Little Girl. That is not being correct way of coping with her death." Jumba reprimanded.

"No! I hate her! I hate that she didn't do anything sooner! I hate that she died instead of holding on long enough for me to reach her. I just hate her!" Stitch protested. "If only I could make myself believe that, it would be easier for me to move on."

"626 it will be hard letting her go, yes it will be. But, you can't blame others when it's not really their fault." Jumba replied, stroking his experiment's fur.

"Can you locate her killer?" Stitch asked. "Cause I want to be the one to kill him or her."

"Jumba will be trying 626." Jumba replied. "For now, try to get some sleep tonight."

He laid Stitch back down on the couch and left to the linen closet and pulled out a clean blanket and pillow. He gave them to Stitch who put them to good use. He didn't fall asleep as Jumba walked back upstairs. He just couldn't fall asleep.

"How is he?" Pleakley asked as Jumba entered the room.

"Broken and irreparable. Jumba had never seen 626 like this. Evil Genius thought he programmed 626 to not feel these emotions and yet, there he is exposing his weakness for all to see." Jumba responded in a melancholy tone.

"Well, he does love her. Of course he's going to be this way for a while." Pleakley replied.

"I have to bring Little Girl back." Jumba said out of the blue, as though the thought just hit him. "Somehow, I will bring Little Girl back to life."

"What!" Pleakley exclaimed. "Have you gone mad! There's no way you can bring her back."

"I'm scientist right?" Jumba snapped. "I'll find some way to bring her back. Some way."

"There is no way!" Pleakley cried. "Even if you do manage to bring Lilo back, it'll come out pointless in the end."

Jumba turned to face him. "Now why are you being saying that?"

Pleakley sat up, sighing in exasperation "Look, Lilo didn't die because of an accident. She didn't trip or fall or get run over by accident. She died because somebody had the intentions to kill her. Murder. Judging from the plasma shot, we can conclude that it wasn't some madman thirsty for blood-shed either."

"Point being?" Jumba asked.

"My point is it would just be pointless bringing Lilo back. Someone that we don't know and probably never will know, did this with every intention to maybe seek for revenge or something they feel needed to be done. It could be anybody! It could be an experiment, an enemy from the past, or maybe an enemy we had never seen before! We don't know. What we do know, is that they wanted Lilo dead. If news goes around that Lilo is alive, they'll kill her again and this time, worse and keep her body so no one can bring her back! Why bring her back, when she's just going to die again?" Pleakley questioned.

Jumba sighed. "You are actually making perfect sense Pleakley. I just hope 626 will learn how to cope."

"He will, stuff like this just takes time." Pleakley assured as he drew the covers over himself. "I guess that's why Earthlings say you should cherish what life gives you because it can be taken away from you."

Downstairs, Stitch had eavesdropped on their conversation thanks to his super hearing ability. He swallowed the lump that had formed on his throat before laying down on the couch. His eyes closed into a terrible slumber he would be having for a long time.

Note: A terrible thing happened to me and this sotry. I originally had ten chapters for this story and that's why I went to post the first chapter. However, when I went to modify the story a bit, I found it all DELETED! Every word and every of those ten chapters DELETED! I was more than mad, I was on fire with fury! That means, slower updates than the usual and going back to the system I had for His Conundrum. I'll try getting chapter three up as soon as possible!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lilo and Stitch or their characters. I only own story, plot, and the characters Hale (Hah-le), Arlene (R-lean) Bud, and Aliella (Ah-lee-eh-luh)

Stitch awoke to the vibrant sun's rays cascading over his sleeping face. He groaned in protest and turned to bury his head in the couch. His arms patted all around the couch, seeking for Lilo's body. Confusion struck him when all he felt was air instead of Lilo's warm body pressed up to his. He opened his eyes, only to see the red fabric of the couch.

Befuddled, he sat up, wondering why he was on the couch instead of his nice warm bed with Lilo beside him. Concluding they must've crashed here last night and Lilo was already awake, he swung his legs over and pulled himself up to his normal height. He searched the kitchen first, but didn't find her there.

For some unknown reason, the bad dream he had from last night came back to him. He shuddered as he remembered the nightmare. He was thankful he wouldn't see Lilo's dead and bloodied body staring up at him or experience the horror of losing her in his waking moments. It was a dream right?

Suddenly he felt panicky. What if it wasn't a dream? What if that was real? What was he going to do with himself then? _No, it was a dream. _He assured himself. However, as the minutes tolled on, he became terrified. Instantly, he spun on his heels so fast it was a shock he didn't fall on his face, and with his lightning speed ran up the stairs and into Jumba and Pleakley's room.

He pounced on the bottom bunk, which had a loudly snoring Jumba sleeping snuggly under his covers. Jumba abruptly woke up as his distraught experiment began shaking him wildly. "Where's Lilo!" Stitch yelled, feeling the dread clouding his senses. He shook Jumba's figure uncontrollably, tears springing from his eyes. "Where is she!"

From above, Pleakley glanced down at the scene below. He noticed Stitch rattling Jumba furiously, demanding him to tell him where his dead girlfriend was. Pleakley looked down in sympathy and completely hated the fact that he was the one to break the terrible news to Stitch. "She's dead Stitch. Remember last night? Someone killed her."

Stitch looked up with disbelief shadowing his face. "No." He whispered to himself over and over again while the two aliens still in bed stared at him sadly. "No. No. No! It was a dream!" He shouted at them, but felt his heart plummet when he saw the stony expressions staring at him. "It had to be."

"Jumba being sorry 626." Jumba replied.

Stitch shook his head crazily, the tears dampening his now sweating face. He spun back around and exited the room as well as the house completely. Jumba stared at the door, thinking to himself. Pleakley climbed out of bed and entered their adjoined bathroom to change into his regular clothing.

Jumba however, did not change. In fact, a smile extended his face as he thought of something. He silently exited the room, not noticing the bathroom door opening just as his back disappeared. He thumped down the stairs, still unaware of somebody else who had just finished changing in their bathroom followed him silently to the ship.

Meanwhile, Stitch sat on the warm sand of the beach. He was grateful that he was the only one there. He didn't think he could handle hearing people laughing, seeing their smiles, watching them share the time of their lives with their loved one, especially since he could never partake in that sheer joy ever again.

He gazed at the vast space of icy blue waters sloshing back and forth. He remembered the days he and Lilo had swam in that water and riding wave after wave. He remembered the day he dared Lilo to jump off the cliff that overlooked the ocean. Of course, they both made sure there weren't any jagged rocks beneath that would perish her. He chuckled quietly to himself when he remembered Lilo pushing him in first and she joined him soon afterwards. It had been an exhilarating jump and it certainly wasn't the last time they did it.

His eyes adverted to the sky, remembering the harsh words he had yelled last night. Not only to his family, but also to the girl he loved too. His heart swelled with guilt and his ears lowered. Tears formed in his eyes as he bowed his head, finding the ground something interesting to look at. "I'm sorry I said that Lilo." He whispered to himself as the wind swirled around him. "I don't hate you, far from it. I guess I was just angry and confused and devastated! I mean, why would anyone want to kill you? You're pretty, you're smart, you're kind, and you're my buchee-bu. Anyone who dared harm you is just asking me to decapitate them." He chuckled to himself. "I still love you Lilo. More than anything."

He looked back up to the ocean. Its deafening sound of waves beating against the shores appeared as though it were summoning him to its depths. As though it were gesturing him to wade in the water and fall into its dark depths, where he'll succumb to death and reunite with Lilo.

"Not a bad idea." He muttered wryly.

"If you're thinking of jumping in there, then you might as well forget it. Because if you do, I'll just jump in after you." Replied a female voice from behind.

Stitch turned to see a lovely experiment with his body, but curves like Angel. Her main color of fur was an aqua blue with a pure white chest. She had no antennas, but she did have little puppy dog like ears. Her pacific blue eyes were curtained by thick, long eyelashes. Her tail was fluffy and long as a fox and with a white tip.

Stitch scowled. "Arlene." He muttered bitterly.

Arlene was experiment 628. Jumba had designed her after the failure of experiment 627. He had intended on making her male with blue fur and incredible abilities. However, something went wrong while he was designing her and instead of making her a threatening male, he had made a beautiful, Angel like female experiment. Lilo, sensing no danger, had allowed Jumba to activate her.

Stitch had been the first male she had seen and later had fallen head over heels in love with him. At least, that's what she thinks happened. However, her good nature changed when she had discovered Stitch already had Angel as his girlfriend. Her bitterness soon changed to jealousy and she had plotted ways of separating Stitch and Angel. Arlene's plots had caused a few problems in their relationship that eventually led to their break-up. Arlene had a plan to make it look as though Angel was having an affair with Kixx and Stitch turned to Lilo for comfort. This was also a prelude to Angel's feelings developing for Kixx.

After Stitch and Lilo had found out what Arlene had been up to, Stitch grew cold around her and Lilo wasn't particularly fond of her either. Stitch had attempted to make up with Angel, but was disheartened to see she was beginning to like Kixx more than she should. Lilo welcomed him back with open arms and Stitch found comfort with her. Soon after, their friendship blossomed into love, leaving a very jealous Arlene to covet Lilo for her love life with Stitch.

Even as today, Stitch had never befriended Arlene, which explains her frown that he greeted her with an icy tone. "Good to see you too." She replied sarcastically.

"What do you want?" Stitch asked her, still occupying his venomous tone.

"I heard about Lilo." Arlene replied softly. "I'm sorry."

Stitch scoffed. "What do you feel sorry for? I thought you would be glad that she's dead." He turned his head to glare nastily at her. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you were the one that killed her!"

Arlene gasped in astonishment. "I am not a murderer!" Then her tone converted into the same iciness Stitch had spoken to her. "She probably annoyed someone as the usual and just got what she deserved! You needed to control that animal of yours better."

With an incalculable amount of rage, Stitch turned so swiftly that she almost didn't see him and lunged at her. Arlene fell on the golden sand with her back pressed up against it. Stitch was on top of her, staring down at her with such loathe. He gripped her wrists tightly, shaking her now trembling form around. "Don't you call her that! Lilo didn't get on anyone's nerves and she did not deserve to die! You're more than an animal, you're a beast! A beast to think Lilo deserved death when she had done so many things for all of us! For you even! If I catch you saying anything negative about her again, I will see to it that you're back in your pod and destroyed! Is that clear?"

Arlene didn't have to respond, her eyes said everything for her. Stitch looked into her watery pacific blue eyes and noted the fear and terror that shined through. Instantly, he felt ashamed for treating a female like that. He had gone against screaming, threatening, and terrorizing girls so much and look at what he had just done. He had harmed and frightened a girl. He could picture Lilo now, staring at him with such disappoint that it made him sick to the core.

He instantly jumped away from a still trembling Arlene. He looked over at her and she could see the guilt in his eyes. "Get out of here Arlene before I do something I might regret."

Arlene didn't need Stitch to tell her twice. Without so much as to say a word, she spun quickly on her heels and dashed away from him. Stitch watched her back as the trees gobbled her into its vast space. Deciding he had nothing better to do, he turned around to head home. One thought coursed through his mind as he walked. How was he going to cope with his love's death?

In the ship, meanwhile, Jumba worked feverishly at his desk. His brain pounding with numerous of ideas as he recorded his ideas and wild thoughts on a blank sheet of paper while testing with a pink liquid that is experiment's blood. Behind him, two bored experiments played jacks. These two experiments were Angel and Dupe, who Jumba had called over because he had an idea. He took a syringe full of Angel's blood and told them to wait. Therefore, they played with jacks while waiting for Jumba's news.

All of a sudden, Jumba threw himself back and laughed manically. Angel and Dupe looked up from their game to see a broadly grinning Jumba. Without even a word, he silently motioned for Angel and Dupe to follow him inside a room. Unknown to the three aliens, one person who had been following Jumba this whole time, quietly slipped in behind him without their knowledge.

Angel noticed Lilo, her best friend, sleeping eternally on one of the gurneys. A white cotton sheet pulled up to her chin while her hair fanned out from around her. Dupe stood there in shock when he saw her, but Angel sprinted up to her as fast as her legs could carry her and leaped onto the gurney. She stared down at her best friend's body, tears leaking from her eyes. She pushed back a long strand of raven hair that covered her left eye.

Jumba noticed Angel's sadness and it caused his grin to stretch. "Do not be so sad 624, Jumba has plan to bring back Little Girl."

"What!" Screamed Pleakley from behind. Jumba, Dupe, and Angel turned their heads with shock that they had not noticed Pleakley standing there the whole time. "Did you forget the conversation from last night?"

"Pleakley! Will you be shutting up please! You are hurting Evil Genius's ears with your shrilly screaming!" He yelled over Pleakley's voice.

"I thought I told you bringing Lilo back will be pointless!" Pleakley cried, despite Jumba's attempts to silence him.

"Yes, am being remembering, but-"

"I thought you said I had a point!"

"I know that and you did, but-"

"I thought I told you that we don't know who Lilo's killer is and-"

"What on the galaxies did you do! Tape record our conversation? Am being remembering that, but I am having plan!"

Pleakley blinked at him. "Oh how I hate those words: I am having plan. You really do come up with a plan, a plan for ending the world!"

"Pleakley! I am knowing what I'm doing!" Jumba screamed back. "Let me explain!"

Pleakley stopped screaming and instead, crossed his arms. "Fine."

"Family is not the same without Little Girl. She is being one that brought family together and the glue that kept family together. You saw 626 last night and this morning! He was just, not himself. Is like he finally snapped. Jumba does not want 626 to live like that forever! He needs Little Girl. We all need her. Without Little Girl, our family will divide and I'm trying to prevent that. As much as Jumba detests this thought, I do not want a broken up family, I want it back to the way it is supposed to be, with Little Girl." Jumba explained with tears beginning to gather in his eyes at the end.

Pleakley grinned. "Aw, the big guy has a heart!" He exclaimed. "I'm so proud of you I could hug you!"

Angel and Dupe snickered while Jumba hastily lifted his hands. "No need for that! Just say good job Jumba and let me get back to my work."

Pleakley nodded. "Alright, so what are you going to do?"

"I did a little research last night when you went to sleep. I found out that experiments' blood is life saving to certain creatures, specifically, Earthlings and Earth animals." Jumba explained. "If experiment blood is injected into Earth victim's bloodstream approximately 36 hours after death, there is being 40 percent chance victim will return to the living. It is unlikely, but possible."

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try right?" Pleakley interrogated.

"There is being side effect though." Jumba replied almost meekly.

Pleakley's thrilled demeanor plummeted. "Like what?"

"Experiment blood will be turning victim into, not only experiment, but have the same body shape and fur color as said experiment." Jumba replied. "That means, if plan does work, Little Girl will never more be human, but another experiment."

Pleakley blinked consistently. "You mean, Lilo will be an experiment!"

Jumba grumbled grouchily. "That is being what I said."

"Wow." Pleakley mumbled to himself in awe. "So, tell me what's going to happen?"

"Well, Evil Genius has already a syringe of 624's correct amount of blood. I'll be having 344 to duplicate Little Girl's body. That way, we will have two Little Girls. One for farewell ceremony and other for Jumba to work on. When Little Girl wakes up, she'll be having 624's body and powers, that is also meaning she can be lifting objects 1000 times her weight, capable of fighting, agility, and ability to sing. Only thing that would be remaining, is her voice." Jumba explained.

"Okay, then what's your plan to keep from the killer to kill her again?" Pleakley asked.

"Who else is having to be knowing!" Jumba asked. "It'll only be me, you, 624, 344, 626, Larger Girl, Surfer Boy, and Little Girl. Is not being much risk there now is there? Larger Girl, Surfer Boy, 626, and you, were at shop, so none of you killed her. 624 and 344 have no reason to kill her and we know Little Girl did not commit suicide, so what risk is there being?"

Pleakley nodded. "True. So, it'll just be all of us."

Jumba nodded. "That is being correct. Only the eight of us are to be knowing."

"One more problem. Don't you think it'll look suspicious with another Angel running around?" Pleakley asked.

Jumba scratched his chin for a second, pondering on Pleakley's words. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and a grin spread across his face. With his finger, he motioned Pleakley, Angel, and Dupe to follow him. They all vanished into a dark, chilling room until Jumba flipped on the light. There were many peculiar machines, but the one Jumba led them to was the one with a large teleport pod. Beside it was an abnormally enormous keyboard with buttons painted in myriads of different colors.

Jumba waved his hand to it to let them all know this is what he was trying to show them. "Jumba uses this machine to paint other things when too lazy to be doing so. When we bring Little Girl back in her 624 like body, she can be choosing color, step in teleport pod, and color shall change her fur. It is being only way that Jumba could be thinking of to alter her appearance a bit."

Pleakley nodded in approval. Jumba directed all of them back to Lilo. Jumba turned to Dupe, nodding at him. "Alright 344, commence with the duplicating!"

Minutes turned to hours and hours darkened the baby blue sky. The events at the Pelekai household were none too important. All their day was just a boring and sad day without having a certain little girl around. There was one event that was essential to Stitch though and that happened when the family gathered around for dinner. Jumba had told Pleakley not to tell of their plan, which he didn't, thinking he would rather save the news until after the funeral. For the whole time during dinner, Pleakley kept silent and Jumba did as well.

Nani and David though, were a different story. They were ranting about what should happen for Lilo's funeral. They didn't want a funeral service because they knew the experiments, or animals as most Earthlings know them to be, are forbidden at church. They knew Lilo would very much prefer it if everyone she loved, that including the experiments, were there to say goodbye. They also knew that the experiments would want that too, especially Stitch. Therefore, they planned on having it in Jumba's ship.

Stitch digested the information unwillingly. He knew the day he would say his final goodbye to Lilo was inevitable, but he wished he could avoid it. Going to this funeral this Friday would seal it. She was gone. She had left him without saying goodbye and she wasn't coming back. This caused Stitch's stomach to rumble with fear. He didn't want to say goodbye. He didn't want to let her go.

But it wasn't a matter of wanting, it was a matter of having to. He has to say goodbye to Lilo and he has to let her go.

Feeling as though he couldn't eat anymore, he pushed away his plate which still had globs of food left and exited the kitchen. Nani and David stopped their ranting to watch his slumping back as he turned the corner with seldom. Nani turned back to David, trying to continue their discussion, but found it impossible to. Her throat closed up on her and when she opened her mouth to speak, tears flooded her eyes and her voice trembled. Giving up, she stood from her seat and left to retire to her bedroom. A very concerned David walked behind her. Pleakley and Jumba also decided to go to bed. They pushed away their plates, which both had very little food left and retired upstairs.

Stitch laid down on the sofa, bringing the blanket to his chin. Tears trailed down his face at what was going to be happening in three days. He was going to say goodbye to the one person he loved the most. The one person who snapped him out of his evil and destruction, the one who saved his life countless of times, the one who was always there for him when he needed a friend, the one who held his heart and will keep it with her in heaven. He couldn't help but wonder why it had to be her. After everything she had done for him and his family and after all the love they had shared, why did she have to go? It just didn't make any sense to him.

He turned over to try to get some sleep. However, thoughts of a certain raven haired angel with big, beautiful chocolate brown orbs laying dead on the bed he once shared with her, haunted his dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lilo and Stitch or their characters. I only own story, plot, and the characters Hale (Hah-le), Arlene (R-lean) Bud, and Aliella (Ah-lee-eh-luh)

Nani and Stitch's spirits were in a state of melancholy as they thoroughly searched the store for a dress for Lilo to wear before they bury her. Nani had picked out some dresses, but Stitch had turned them down. He wanted a dress that Lilo would have liked, something she would've worn just as much as she had worn her red muumuu when she was a child. He knew Lilo's favorite dress color was either purple or red and that she didn't like dresses too fancy, but preferred them as casual. Nani had been picking ones that were just too intricate for his taste and Lilo's too.

He rummaged through different kinds of gorgeous dresses, looking for the one that would justify for Lilo and for him. Finally, his eyes feasted on a purple dress just behind the green twin of it. It was made of fine silk with crusted velvet that went around the neckline. It looked impeccable for Lilo. He went to touch it, imagining her wearing this as they lay her to rest. The thought brought tears in his eyes that this beautiful dress would be the last piece of clothing he would ever see on her.

"Hey Stitch!" Nani called, waving a pearly white dress in the air. "What do you think of this?"

Without even turning to look at the dress, he shook his head and tugged at the purple silk he had been staring. He heard a loud cling as Nani put her dress back on the rail. He heard her footsteps pad over to him. She stared at the purple piece of clothing, running her hand along the smooth texture.

"She would look beautiful in this." Nani breathed, lifting it from the railing.

"She looks beautiful in anything, but I have a feeling this is the dress Lilo would have wanted." Stitch replied.

Nani nodded. "I agree. Let's pay for it."

Stitch followed Nani to the register. She paid approximately three hundred dollars for the dress before wrapping it up in a plastic bag and walking out. Stitch cradled the dress in his lap as he sat in the backseat. He sighed as he stroked it almost lovingly. Nani noticed his state of trance and sighed as well, wishing she had never left Lilo home alone.

Nani parked the car in the carport and Stitch exited the green jeep, still holding onto the dress. Nani locked her jeep before walking up the stairs. Stitch followed behind her until they reached inside the house. They saw Pleakley on the couch watching TV. He noticed the dress, stood, and took it from Stitch. He told them Jumba was in the ship and that he'll give it to him.

Nani and Stitch took Pleakley's place on the couch. As they sat down, he heard Nani sigh exhaustingly and say, "Now all we have to do is wait for tomorrow."

Finally, it was Friday and it was time to lay Lilo down to rest. True to Nani's word, they had a funeral at Jumba's ship. Jumba, Pleakley, and few other experiments helped rearrange the entire ship so it would be suitable for a funeral. In the front of the ship, were hundreds upon hundred rows of chairs. The ship lit dimly to set a gloomy atmosphere. Facing the rows of chairs, was a coffin where their beloved Lilo slept almost blissfully. On either side of the coffin were desks that had numerous pictures of her with her family, friends, or just her glued on to it. Upon the desks were vases of Lilo's favorite types of flowers and ones that were just plain beautiful. Behind Lilo's coffin, was a podium where people could make speeches. Yes, it was a lovely service.

The doors opened and experiments, family, and friends invited themselves in like one huge herd. Stitch lagged behind, reluctant even to start the service. His stomach twisted itself into an unbreakable knot, tightening whenever he took a step forward. Tears dampened his eyes as he took for the seat in front of Lilo's coffin. He stared at the casket that contained his love, wishing it were he in there with her. He barely paid any attention as Slick, who was very handy when it came to expressing thoughts and emotions with words, ranted on a farewell speech.

Slick's voice was seldom as he spoke. Even his voice alone caused the sensitive guests to begin crying. "Lilo wasn't just an ordinary girl. She was a girl with a kind heart that had touched all of us. She saved us from a life of destruction while everyone else had thought we were too evil to be trusted. She was the only one who was compassionate enough to provide us a home, put our good talents to use, and created an enormous family that always seemed to have room for one more. She was very dear to us because of it, and she will be greatly missed. Though she may be in heaven instead of down here with us, she's still here." Slick paused to look at Stitch. Stitch, though he was centering his attention on Lilo and Lilo alone, still noticed the hiatus in Slick's speech. He looked up to catch Slick's eyes, wondering why he wasn't continuing.

Slick held Stitch's gaze long enough for him to know that the next part of his speech was meant for Stitch to hear. Stitch listened intently and Slick, noticing this, went on. "Though she may be resting here in this coffin, she is not sleeping. This is only her body, her outer shell, that's sleeping underneath the pink silk and cradling a red rose on her chest. However, her sprit does not lie in her body. Oh no, she's everywhere now. She's the smile in the sunshine to make you happy. She's the laugh in the wind to assure you she is there. She's the tears in the rain to be sad with you. She's the scream in the thunder and the anger in the lightning to scare your fears away. She is everywhere around us to protect us, be with us, love us, and never leave us. Yes, her body lies here, but her spirit is everywhere."

By now, almost all of the guests had damped tissues pressed up to their faces from Slick's alluring speech. Stitch did not have a tissue, but his eyes were definitely welled up with tears. He stood as many others began to stand and crowd around her final resting place. He pushed himself to the front of the line, reaching out to cradle her lifeless, cold hand in his. Tears gathered at the edges of his eyes as he observed the one who meant the most to him.

He noticed the purple dress he had picked out for her hugged her tiny curves. The dress went below her knee but above her calf muscle, showing off those beautiful legs that had once walked with grace. The color of the dress clashed nicely with not only her skin tone, but her raven hair as well. She looked lovely to him. He only wished he had a chance to spend one more day with her while she wears that beautiful dress. Others began moving away from the casket as Stitch stared at his loved one, unwilling and unready to let her go. The only one who stayed by his side was Angel, the one who also cared so much for Lilo. Her hand lingered on Stitch's shoulder, trying to sooth him.

He bent over to peer at Lilo's face closer. He heard Angel beginning to recede from him to return to her respective seat. Stitch however, stayed by Lilo's side. He kissed her face one last time, almost sobbing at the iciness that met his mouth. He would never again feel her warm body against his or kiss her warm, supple skin. The thought of this chilled him to the core, wishing this were all a horrific nightmare. A nightmare that would soon end and he would wake up to Lilo's beautiful face. However, he knew this wasn't a nightmare. She was gone and she had left him alone on this Earth.

He felt someone tugging gently on his arm for him to sit down. Stitch tried resisting the person's force, too distraught to look behind to see who was pulling him. He didn't want to leave Lilo. He didn't want to be without her. He didn't want to continue life alone. He wanted her to stay with him. He wanted to stand by her side and never walk away. He didn't think he could live without seeing her face in the morning and holding her body at night. The thought of that just terrified him. He didn't want that kind of life. Not now and possibly not ever.

"Come on." A female voiced cooed from behind. His ears twitched, registering the voice as Angel's. "You can't stand there forever. You have to let her go."

Stitch nodded, but didn't walk away just yet. "I love you." He whispered to her. "I promise you I will always love you and I will die trying to find who did this to you. I swear Lilo I will kill them. I love you buchee-bu, but I'm still not ready to say goodbye. Still not ready."

His eyes fell on the ring that still laid on her finger. He reached down and gently tugged the ring off her finger. He placed it on his own, needing something from her. He kissed her ring then pressed his hand to her face, imprinting the kiss from the ring onto her smooth skin. Finally, he followed Angel to his seat. She sat down beside him, still keeping her hand on his arm comfortingly.

_Too fast. This is going by too fast. _Stitch thought as Jumba went around the casket to close the lid. His eyes were transfixed on Lilo's sleeping face, willing her eyes to flutter open suddenly. Time seemed to go by slowly as Jumba reached for the lid. Stitch felt as though it was going by entirely too fast. Panic engulfed his being as he realized he was losing her all too soon.

It was much too soon for their story to end. They had just started chapter one together sometime not too long ago. Death was ripping the rest of their pages together too quickly. Their story was not supposed to end here. They still had many more chapters of their lives together left. This just couldn't be the part where they say 'The End'. It was just too soon for that. They still had a whole chapter of getting married, having and raising kids of their own, watching their kids grow and fall in love with somebody else, and die together. That is when people are supposed to say 'The End.' Not now. The story is just beginning and death is ripping all that away from them. It just was not fair.

_Slowly. Slowly. Slowly. _Stitch repeated in his brain as Jumba began lowering the casket. His heart rate sped up as he watched Lilo's beautiful face slowly begin disappearing in the mist of darkness. The shadow swallowed her entire face up whole as the lid was just barely above her. _Slower please. Much slower. _Finally, the lid closed and he realized it was official.

Whether he had said goodbye or not, it didn't matter. He had already lost her.

The feeling of losing someone so precious became too much for Stitch to handle. He stood from his seat and exited the ship. He didn't follow others to the tree house, where he and Lilo had once played together when they were just small children, where they already had a six feet deep grave for her to rest in. He didn't think he could handle watching his angel being lowered underneath the ground and covered in the soil. It would be just too much for him. Too much for him to bare, to handle, to understand.

He bolted from the service, his vision blurred from the tears that moistened his face. He scurried up the stairs, clutched the door handle, and swung the door open. The house looked so empty and so melancholy without a certain little girl with a huge smile to make it less ominous. He knew this is what he would be facing for the rest of his life. A vacant house that still held memories of his deceased love. The pain of this thought brought more tears to his eyes.

He looked at the dome, glaring at the place where this whole nightmare for him had began. Instead of running in there, he ran straight to the couch. He flopped down on it head first with a soft plop and began to cry. He could feel the tears burning a trail in his fur as they traversed down his cheek and created a puddle in the pillow. His body wracked with choked up sobs that he had tried to contain. His claws clutched the scarlet pillow, tightening his grip every time he hyperventilated. His insides screamed as his outside wept with all that was in him. He could see Lilo in his mind, though very remotely. He begged her to return to him, return and never leave him in a state like this again.

As he bawled on the pillow, he felt a strong arm wrap around his shoulder. Sniffing, he lifted his head to see who was there. It was an experiment who had his body except he had bright orange fur with a grey chest. His ears were shaped like a cat's with little grey tufts of fur outlining it. He had splotches of black on his back and a black patch surrounding his left black pupil. He stared down with concern at Stitch, patting his back as he comforted him.

"Bud?" Stitch asked through his tears.

Bud was experiment 153. He was designed to turn friends against each other. It was similar to Spats' function, except he literally turns friends into enemies. Lilo and Stitch had discovered his existence when they had caught Nani and David arguing constantly over the idiotic of things. Jumba had announced that it could be experiment 153's doing, who was designed to make the best of friends become the best of enemies.

Lilo and Stitch had sought out to look for him. Along the way, Stitch had done something that had caused Lilo to laugh. When she started laughing, he began laughing with her and the two friends shared a moment together. The sight angered 153 who had been watching them the whole time. He showed up and turned them against each other. The house was in turmoil with Nani and David arguing constantly and Lilo and Stitch giving each other the silent treatment. Jumba and Pleakley desperately found the cure, which was to remind the arguing couple of the good times they had shared together.

With Lilo and Stitch back to normal, they worked together to capture 153. Stitch dubbed him Bud a few days later because the two began growing a male friendship. That is only because Stitch had helped him to win Arlene's affections. The relationship between Arlene and Bud had lasted for only a week because Arlene still had growing affections for Stitch. From then on, Arlene and Bud had a sisterly and brotherly relationship.

"You okay?" Bud asked.

Stitch shook his head. "I'm going to miss her."

"A lot of people are going to miss her. She was a good kid." Bud replied.

Stitch nodded in agreement. "It's going to be strange not seeing her around anymore."

"You'll get used to it." Bud said almost carelessly.

"I don't think I will. I love her too much." Stitch responded.

Bud saw the pool of tears in Stitch's eyes and immediately changed the subject. "So, I spoke to Arlene last night."

"What about her?" Stitch mumbled bitterly.

"You never gave her a real chance Stitch." Bud pointed out. "Yes, she may have done some stupid things in the past, but that was all a long time ago. Don't you think it's time you at least talk to her?"

Stitch shook his head. " No way."

"You know, Lilo was so many things, but most of all, she was a very forgiving person." Bud replied, grinning at the softened look on Stitch's face. "Don't you think Lilo would appreciate it if you forgave Arlene? I'm sure she would forgive her."

Stitch growled, but knew Bud had him beaten. He sighed. " Fine, I'll go talk to her."

"Now?" Bud pressed on, gesturing to the door.

"I don't feel like driving over to her home on Lilo's funeral of all days. I want to stay home and mourn." Stitch replied stubbornly, folding his arms across his chest.

Suddenly, the door slowly opened to reveal Arlene standing there. Bud leaned over to Stitch. "Looks like you didn't have to drive to her home. You can talk to her here."

Stitch grimaced to himself as Bud hugged Arlene then left. Arlene closed the door before walking over to Stitch. The blue experiment still sat obdurately on the couch. Arlene sat down next to him. "Look, I just want to say I'm sorry. I guess I just got offensive because you called me a murderer. Stitch, I'll admit I was horrible in the past, but so were you. Lilo still forgave you, can't you forgive me?"

Stitch looked away, her words 'Can't you forgive me?' replaying in his mind repeatedly. _Don't you think Lilo would appreciate it if you forgave Arlene? I'm sure she would forgive her. _Bud's words mixed in with Arlene's, leaving him to be more willing to forgive. He turned to Arlene. "I forgive you."

Arlene grinned and threw her arms around Stitch. "I'll always be here if you need me. Okay? Whenever you need someone to talk to, please let me be the first person you want to talk to."

Stitch nodded against her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. She pulled away after a few seconds, beaming proudly and blushing slightly. "Let's watch TV." Stitch suggested, not wanting the silence to take over the room.

Arlene agreed and turned on the TV to the channel her and Stitch both liked. She leaned back on the couch and watched the screen with Stitch beside her. Stitch turned his head to look at her, wondering if he made the right decision. He knew Lilo would be very proud that he forgave Arlene even though he had enough reasons why he shouldn't. Though, he found it impossible to shake off the feeling he was fraternizing with the one who might've played a role in Lilo's demise.

Meanwhile, Jumba and Pleakley were back inside the ship. Pleakley watched as Jumba began strapping Lilo to huge machines. He heard a final snap before Jumba stepped away from her. He nodded to himself before turning to exit the room. Pleakley sprinted to catch up with him. Jumba still didn't wait for him as he continued his swift strides out of the room.

"Are we going to tell the family now?" Pleakley asked as he reached Jumba, who closed the door that led to Lilo's room and fished in his pocket for a coppery brown lock.

Jumba paused, as though meditating on the question. Finally, he shook his head. "No. We wait until Little Girl is making incredible progress. As Jumba said before, there is 40 percent chance Little Girl will pull through, and if she doesn't, Jumba doesn't want to smash uprising hopes. Especially for 626. Jumba hates to even think what 626 would do if he has hope of getting back his buchee-bu and then she dies again."

"So when Lilo shows signs of progress, then we tell the family." Pleakley stated.

Jumba once again shook his head. "We do not tell family until Jumba is being certain Little Girl will pull through. Even if Little Girl responds to experiment 624's blood, there is still chance blood will fail her. We wait until Jumba is being 100 percent certain, absolutely sure, that Little Girl will make it. For now, it is being our secret."

Without further discussion, Jumba fastened the lock on Lilo's door knob. He turned the key in the keyhole until he heard a faint click. He jiggled with the door for a bit to ensure it is tightly locked. He placed the key back into his lab pocket and turned to leave the ship. The two left with increasing aspiration that Lilo would pull through and their family will come back to being one.


	5. Chapter 5

Four weeks has passed since the demise of Lilo and the Pelekai home has changed drastically. Instead of it being a carefree home where most of the occupants busy themselves with work they enjoy doing, the house turned into a sorrowful place where you wallow in your memories. Nani is often seen gnawing on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich slowly, as though her mind was somewhere else. Her coconut brown orbs were always red rimmed and bloodshot from crying and lack of sleep. David isn't even in his lighthearted mood anymore. He's usually the one that lifts Nani's spirits when she is depressed, but no matter what he does to cheer her some, a smile is rarely seen on her face. Pleakley isn't enthusiastic in his house-cleaning anymore. His mind is solely focused on Lilo and whether or not she would pull through. Jumba says she will, just to keep an optimistic attitude, but even Pleakley could detect doubt in his tone. Speaking of Jumba, he is scarcely seen inside the house during the day and sometimes even at night. He is mostly in the ship, waiting for anything that would prove Lilo was responding to the treatment. So far, it managed to give her a miniature amount of life, so she wasn't dead, but it was taking longer than usual for her body to transform, creating skepticism that she would make it.

Out of all of them, Stitch was the worse. Who used to be an energetic, talkative, little blue ball of fur that everyone loved, is now a shell of a being. Not once had he ever stepped foot in the dome where he and Lilo shared. He says most of their memories were created up there and it was just too painful for him. His obsession for coffee heightened considerably since his final goodbye to the one he loved. Every morning he would drink ample amounts of mugs filled to the brim with coffee and downed it as though D-Day was tomorrow. The family never really catches him in the house except for at night, where sometimes he is heard crying himself to sleep.

Luckily for Stitch, he had a few friends that kept him going. Angel seems to always have her door open for Stitch to come anytime when he needed a friend to talk to. She never brings up Lilo unless he is the first one to mention her name, which is, most of the time, never. He never talks about Lilo unless his mouth moves without his consent. Another friend Stitch could talk to when he wants to hang with a guy friend is Bud. Though Bud isn't at all as comforting as Angel, he sometimes managed to make Stitch have a bit of fun and sometimes, the fun succeeds erasing Lilo from his thoughts. The last one Stitch finds solace with, is Arlene. She had promised to be there for him and she lived up to it. He couldn't see her much as a friend since all the trouble she brewed in the past, but enough for him to be civil with her.

Yes, there were many changes since the death of Lilo. However, four weeks later since her death just may be a start to a more brighter future. As Pleakley was vacuuming the rug a bit solemn, the door swung open. Hearing this, he pressed his foot on the pedal and the vacuum cleaner stopped humming. He turned his head to see Jumba with a wide grin on his face.

"Jumba?" Pleakley asked. "What is it?"

"Am having good news!" Jumba exclaimed excitedly, almost jumping up and down. "Little Girl is responding to treatment!"

A long smile stretched Pleakley's face. "How can you tell!"

Jumba waved his hand behind his shoulder. "Come! Jumba be showing you."

Pleakley neglected his vacuum cleaner to follow Jumba to the ship. He could barely keep up with Jumba's quick and thrilled pace. They paused in front of the door with the large coppery lock clipped on to it. Jumba searched his pocket for the key and unlocked the door. He removed the lock and opened the door. Pleakley didn't waste any time approaching Lilo. The sight of her sent him into a shock, but only because he had never seen Lilo's appearance this way at all.

Her scalp was completely bald. Not one little hair on her head. He slowly touched her shiny head with his finger, surprised at the softness of it. It was so odd to see Lilo without any hair and to see it now, it was a real shocker. He looked up at Jumba who had already answered his question. In his massive hand, he clutched all of Lilo's detached raven hair dangling from the ground. He put the hair back on the table and walked over to Lilo.

He pulled the blanket down to the point where they could see all of her legs, keeping her feet shielded. He pointed to her legs, where tiny pink hairs were forming. He then lifted her arms, picking at the tiny pink hairs that had formed on her arms as well. Pleakley just froze while Jumba grinned widely. He had to admit, he was also surprised at Lilo's appearance when he came in to check on her, but he was even more overjoyed that she was responding.

"This is indeed very good news." Pleakley grinned as he stared at Lilo's motionless body. "Can we tell the family now?"

Jumba sighed exasperatedly. He was getting very agitated with Pleakley's persistence telling the family. "No. Though Little Girl may be transforming, there is still being risk of her taking a turn for the worse. We shall tell family when Jumba is being hundred percent certain Little Girl will pull through. No more asking Jumba this. Understood?"

Pleakley nodded. "Understood."

"Now let's let her rest." Jumba replied, pushing Pleakley out the room and locking the door.

Meanwhile, Stitch was with Angel in the kitchen. She had called over there inviting him for lunch. Seeing as he had nothing else better to do, he agreed to the invitation. Angel noticed with sympathy that Stitch hardly ate. She had made a corndog with macaroni and cheese on the side. Stitch took one small bite of his corndog and a little bit of the macaroni and cheese. He was more into talking than eating, which Angel figured he did to keep his mind off Lilo.

Angel had already finished her lunch and couldn't wait for him anymore. She repeatedly squirmed in her chair, which caused her whole body to ache terribly. She discarded her plate and Stitch asked what she wanted him to do with the remains. Angel had told him to toss it, which he did. She then invited him into the living room for a movie. Stitch concurred with the idea and the two sat on the couch in the living room. Angel allowed Stitch to pick a movie. He picked a comedy and even though it was hilarious, Angel never heard Stitch give out a real laugh.

Beside her, a loud ringing interrupted their movie. Stitch turned down the volume for her. She thanked him briefly then reached for the phone. She put it up to her ear, listening to the voice on the other line.

"Pleakley?" She questioned. "What are you- Really?" A smile lit Angel's face, causing Stitch to look at her. "That's such great news! She's responding. What? She's bald and she has little hairs? Pink hairs? Awkward, but at least she's responding." Angel replied giddily. Angel looked at him, noticing his peculiar stare. This caused Angel to become suddenly nervous. "Uh, Pleakley can I talk to you later? I'm busy with a certain someone." Angel said quietly so Stitch wouldn't catch the last part. "Okay, bye."

She put the phone back in its place and turned to Stitch. Stitch stared at her with a mystified expression on his face. "What's got you in a good mood?"

"Oh nothing." Angel responded, the beam still shown on her pink face. "Isn't this movie entertaining?"

Stitch nodded. "Yeah. Entertaining."

A while later, Stitch decided he should go back home. As he approached the beach, he noticed tourists and Hawaiians having immense fun. Little kids in giggling packs raced each other across the sand. Adults either watched their kids with small smiles, basked in the warmth of the sun, or flirted with their companion.

He looked out into the ocean, remembering the times he and Lilo would surf together. The joyous laughter mingling with the deafening sound of the waves. The carefree smiles Stitch was sure he would never wear again. His ears lowered and he let out a small whimper, wishing those days weren't gone.

He turned and continued his trek home. Small tears gathered in the corner of his eyes as he walked, looking up to the blue sky above him. He blinked, then returned to walking home. He was getting close until he felt Bud put his arm around his shoulders. Stitch turned to smile at him, but everyone could tell he forced it.

"Hey. How are you doing with Arlene?" Bud asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Stitch rolled his eyes. "We're only friends Bud and that's all we'll ever be, understand?"

"Come on Stitch. I'm not saying you have to replace Lilo-"

"Don't say her name!" Stitch growled. "It hurts too much to even hear her name."

Bud shook his head sadly. "You see. It wouldn't hurt so much if you let love touch you again."

It was Stitch's turn to shake his head in a negative. "I can't. She's the only one I'll ever love."

"She wasn't the only girl on the island, you know that?" Bud asked.

"Yes I know that, but she was the only girl in the universe that carries my heart." Stitch replied.

"That's corny, I hope you know that." Bud grinned.

Stitch returned a small smile. "But it's the truth."

"I guess boys say stupid things when they think they're in love." Bud said. Stitch went to retort, but Bud outdid him first. "Anyway, give Arlene the chance. She just might be able to take your mind off Li-, sorry, her."

"No Bud. Arlene is only a friend." Stitch stated and went to return his stroll for home.

Bud caught him by the shoulder. Stitch peered over to his orange friend. "Do not fight it if you develop feelings for Arlene. When you feel like you're getting more attached to her, give in. It would be a mistake to keep ignoring her."

Before Stitch could say anything else, Bud was already retreating. Stitch thought about Bud's words, trying to imagine himself with Arlene. The thought that he wouldn't have Lilo beside him for the rest of his life broke his already broken heart further. He would have to be with someone else for the rest of his life and never be able to have Lilo, the one he would always love the most. Sighing sadly, he continued to the house.

His ears rose when he heard voices close by. Listening more intently, he could make out the voices of both Jumba and Pleakley. He found the voices in the living room of the house. He peered into the window, listening with his incredible acute hearing ability to their conversation. He could tell it was another of their imprudent bickering, but he heard something that captured his attention.

"You are being stupid! I told you not to be telling anybody!" Jumba cried, waving his arms in the air angrily.

"I only told Angel. She knows about this right? It wouldn't hurt to tell her." Pleakley replied.

Jumba sighed. "You should know she is being taken with 601. She might tell him and he would accidentally blurt it out to the wrong people!"

"Just be thankful Stitch doesn't know. Alright?" Pleakley said. "No one else knows except you, me, and Angel. No one else."

"Know what?" Stitch questioned to himself, but it didn't go by unnoticed.

Jumba turned to the window, surprised to see Stitch there. Pleakley noticed too and blushed red with shame, hoping Stitch's suspicious weren't arising. Stitch slinked away from the window and stepped into the house, staring at his creator and Pleakley with newfound curiosity. The bickering ceased as Stitch continuously stared at them.

Jumba quickly came up with a lame excuse to leave for the ship while Pleakley wordlessly went into the kitchen. Stitch stood there in the doorway, pondering to himself what the huge secret was and why they couldn't tell him. Deciding it wasn't anything important, he closed the door and went to the couch. He climbed on his new sleeping place since Lilo… left. Shaking his head to try to rid the thoughts of her, he flipped the TV to cartoons. Ten minutes into the show, he began to drift into a nap.

Hours passed when he awoke to the smell of pizza. He lifted himself from the couch, following the appealing aroma into the kitchen. Nani hadn't felt motivated to cook and everyone knows Jumba and Pleakley's unique way of cooking, so they settled for pizza. Stitch watched the family as they ate. He noticed with slight wonder that Pleakley and Jumba were gorging down the pizza as though nothing had changed. He didn't see any sign of grief, in fact, they looked genuinely happy. They acted as though nothing happened, as though Lilo wasn't dead.

Nani looked up, catching the sight of Stitch in the doorway. "Stitch! Come in. Have some pizza." Nani invited.

Stitch shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

"Stitch, you haven't eaten all day." David replied. "All you had was coffee and a little bit of lunch with Angel."

"Come on Stitch. Lilo would've wanted you to eat, not starve yourself." Nani replied.

Stitch growled. "Stop saying her name! And how would you know that's what Lilo would've wanted? She and I were close, inseparable! Maybe she would've wanted me to starve to death so that we could meet each other in our afterlife!" _I know I want it._

With that, he spun on his heels and returned to the couch where he watched TV for a little bit longer. Nani watched him go, her sympathy reaching out to him. David put his arm around her shoulder, leaning in to kiss her hair. The tears began to flow from Nani's eyes, supporting herself on David's shoulder.

"He's just emotional right now Nani. He'll be fine." David assured.

Nani shook her head. "I don't know David. He really loved her. I don't know if this family will be able to go on without her."

Pleakley and Jumba watched Nani beginning to cry in her husband's loving embrace. They had to dip their heads as they ate their food to hide their discreet grins. Only they knew there was a chance of Lilo coming back and they were so hopeful and expectant to have her back. They were hopeful and expectant to see her happy, healthy, and fully alive.

Note: Sorry I haven't been updating. I was busy planning for my Hawaii trip. I leave tomorrow and won't be back until a week. I already have chapter 6 finished and as soon as I get back, I'll update chapter 6 and begin chap 7. Please don't go away!


	6. Chapter 6

The looming trees billowed as the wind blew gently. Little specks of dirt began swirling in the air, uncovering a headstone. Stitch fell to his knees, his hand brushing against the rough, cool texture. His claw traced the engraving of her name forever embedded into the stone. A lone tear trailed down his cheek and dropped on the grave. He had never visited his love's grave before. Even after they buried her, he had never been there. Some say it was his way of coping. Others spread the rumor that maybe he didn't love her anymore. However, he and the family were the only ones who knew the actual truth.

They knew he avoided her grave because he didn't want to believe it. Even though it has been approximately two months since she died, he still didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that the reason her dome's empty is because she left and never came back. He didn't want to accept the fact that the reason why he cries at night is because she's not there beside him. He didn't want to believe any of it. He wants to think that the reason her dome's empty is because she went away for a while, but will be coming back. He wants to think the reason why he cries at night is only because he misses her and is anxious for her return. By coming to her grave and see her name etched into the stone confirmed his beliefs to be wrong. She went away and she's never coming back. This wasn't a temporary case, this was everlasting. That thought just ate away at his insides, ripped him apart slowly, painfully, unbearably and forced him to believe the actual truth.

Now here he was. For the first time since Lilo went away, he's standing on her grave. His hand stroking the stone and tracing the letters of her name constantly. There were no flowers upon her grave, they were only buried with her. He sighed as he swiped the dirt away with his claws. In his hand, cradled a flower. The same flower her mother had worn since she was a little girl for her hula contest. He laid the flower on the ground and began burying it. He bent down to kiss her headstone.

"Lilo." Stitch whispered, his heart aching just from his lips saying her name. It has been a while since he spoke of her name or even heard it. With his violent reactions, he trained the family and everyone else around him to never say her name when he was adjacent to them. "It's been two months, a long while, and I still haven't said goodbye. I can't let you go Lilo. You were such a huge part of me, you still are. You've always been there for me, but why aren't you here when I need you the most?"

His voice cracked as the tears began to well up. "You'll never understand how much I miss you. How hard it is for me to wake up everyday and not see your beautiful face smiling back at me. How hard it is to fall asleep and not receive a goodnight kiss from you. How hard it is to not feel you, hold you, kiss you, it's just so hard." He paused for a second, letting the tears take control and his sadness to overwhelm him.

He looked back at the grave, her name now blurred and distorted. "They say time heals all wounds, but not this wound." He placed his hand on his heart, the tears still falling. "This wound seems to never heal. Time isn't mending it, it's only reopening it. Everyday that passes, I miss you more and more and it makes me realize that I'll never see you again and we'll never have that life we dreamed of. Time is making it hard for me. I don't think I'll ever be able to move on. With you gone, I don't think I can ever be the same again."

He kissed her stone one more time. He stepped over the headstone and climbed the tree standing behind her. It was their old tree house. The place that built so many memories for them. It was the place where their friendship began and when it developed into something more deeper than that. Something much more serious.

He lifted himself onto the wooden deck, flashbacks rummaging through his head. He shook his head, wanting all of it gone. He walked over to the railing, looking out into the sky. The sun was just beginning to set and the sky was painted a deep scarlet. The tiny white stars were beginning to show. He sighed as he observed the sky, trying to imagine which star had his dearest Lilo.

He heard a creak from behind and turned. It was Arlene with a grin on her face. She slowly approached him, the floorboards groaning beneath her feet. Stitch watched her come up, smiling at her weakly. She tucked her arm under his, scooting purposefully too close to him for warmth. The wind rustled their fur, her antennas swayed and his ears billowed. He remained silent, even as Arlene went to cover his hand. The hand that still worn the ring he had given to Lilo before this whole mess started.

"Something you wanted Arlene?" Stitch asked, a wave of insecurity washing over him at the close proximity with her.

"I just wanted to see you." Arlene replied. "Just to see how you're doing."

"I'm fine." He mumbled bitterly.

"Stitch, I've seen you. You're anything but fine." Arlene said gently, stroking his hand. She felt something pointy under her hand and lifted it. On his finger laid the ring, sparkling in the evening sun. "Where'd you get that from?"

Stitch looked at her to see what she meant. She adverted her gaze downward and his eyes followed her to the ring. A tear formed in his eye at the sight of it, remembering Lilo's beautiful face lighting up with joy when he presented her the ring. "I gave that to her. I proposed to her."

Arlene looked up. Stitch noticed no sympathy, only apathy. He knew Arlene could careless about Lilo and that was the one thing he disliked most about her. Every time he mentions Lilo, she doesn't need to say a word to let him know she did not like talking about Lilo. His eyes went back to the sky, watching as the sun sank lower and the sky became a darker color.

Stitch came up with an excuse for going back home. Arlene nodded and together, they climbed down the ladder. Once they reached the ground, Arlene's hand shot out to snatch Stitch's arm. Stitch paused in his steps and walked closer to Arlene each time she tugged on his arm. When he was just centimeters away from her, she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

Shock was the only thing Stitch felt. It had been a long time since anyone had kissed him. Her lips gently pecked his cheek for a couple of seconds before she pulled away. Stitch just stared at her with a blank look. There was no sign of love, awkwardness, or anything that resembled he liked her kiss on his face. He just stared and stared at her with a bemused look.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"For being my friend." Arlene replied gently, shifting on her feet uncomfortably. "If I can't have you as a boyfriend, I'm glad I could still have you for a friend. And I just wanted to thank you for giving me the chance."

Stitch nodded, still recovering from the shock of the kiss. "Uh yeah, no problem. See you later then Arlene."

With that, he turned and left. Arlene watched his back as he disappeared into the forest. She waited until she was certain he was out of hearing distance, even for his acute hearing. "Soon though, you will be my boyfriend." Arlene replied, smiling sinisterly to herself. She then turned her gaze to Lilo's grave, staring at it with pure loath. "And you won't get in the way!" She growled out and turned with an air of aloofness to her home.

Meanwhile, in the ship, Lilo was responding smoothly to her treatments. Not only had she lost her hair and growing little pink strays of hair on her head and all over her body, but she had begun shrinking into normal experiment size. This new procedure had made Pleakley, Jumba, and Angel very relieved. Still however, they didn't tell the family. Jumba still had his doubts that Lilo would fully recover and drilled that into Angel and Pleakley's heads so they wouldn't get their hopes too high.

"What's the next part of the process?" Angel asked.

"Next part should be beginning transformation." Jumba replied. "She is going along smoothly. Is being very good news."

Angel beamed happily at her friend, tears of joy sparkling in her black orbs. She pounced on the bed beside Lilo, putting her paw on her face. She felt significant warmth sting at her hand. She lifted her head to Jumba. "She's burning up again. Go get some ice." Angel commanded.

Pleakley and Jumba turned to the cooler at the back of the room. Pleakley propped the lid open, only to see there is no ice. "624, guard Little Girl's body and come straight to us if perspiration starts. One-eyed noodle and I will go to house and pick up some ice there. Come Pleakley."

Angel listened to Jumba's command as he and Pleakley shut and locked the door behind them.

Meanwhile, Stitch was coming back from his stroll. He noticed Pleakley and Jumba returning from the ship and running right past him to the house. He raised his eyebrow, wondering why they were in such a hurry. His head turned to the ship, where he had begun noticing that's where Pleakley and Jumba have been spending the majority of their time.

_I wonder what is so secretive in there. _Stitch thought to himself. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to take a peek, he trotted to the ship. He briskly ran up the ramp, rotating his head to see if he could catch a glimpse of something unfamiliar. He found nothing except for a door with a bronze lock attached to the knob. Curious, he approached the door, jiggling with the doorknob. He heard a gasp and a quick rustling of a sheet. Suspecting there was someone untrustworthy behind the door, he jammed his claw into the keyhole and frantically twisted it in both directions. When he heard a faint click, he threw down the coppery lock and opened the door.

Without even noticing his surroundings, he tackled the first person he saw. He heard a female shriek as he and his victim tumbled to the floor. He growled at his victim until he realized it was Angel. He gasped and climbed off her, holding out his paw to help her up. However, she slapped away his hand and helped her own self up, dusting herself as she stood.

"Angel, what are you doing here?" Stitch asked.

"I came to visit Jumba." Angel responded.

"Why?" Stitch asked.

"Because, um, uh." Angel stuttered, trying to come up with a quick answer. "I- um well, I was… about to uh. It's my personal reasons! You have no right to keep asking me about my reasons for what I'm doing. It's called privacy."

"Okay." Stitch replied slowly, wondering why she was so jittery. Deciding it was nothing to be concerned about, he turned to face a gurney. _Maybe this is Jumba's little secret. _"What's under here?"

Angel gasped as Stitch moved closer to the gurney. The closer he approached it, the more evident the small bump on the bed became. His hand reached out to lift the covers, but before he could, Angel snatched his arm and frantically pulled him back. "No!" She cried as they both fell back on the floor.

"What's the matter?" Stitch asked. "I just want to see what's under the sheet."

He began moving towards the gurney again, but Angel once again screamed at him. "No! You can't."

Stitch stopped to look at her. "Why not?"

"Privacy remember? Respect your creator's privacy." Angel replied.

"Come on, one little peek couldn't hurt." Stitch countered as his attention went back to the gurney.

"Why don't you eat first, then you can see what's under there." Angel suggested, already reaching out to grab his arm.

Stitch paused and growled lowly. He didn't like it when people forced him to eat, especially when he wasn't hungry. "I'm not hungry."

"Please Stitch, come and eat. You haven't eaten at all today and the only thing you ate for dinner last night was half a slice of pizza. Stitch, starving yourself isn't going to bring Lilo back." Angel replied.

Stitch scowled, his eyes narrowed at her. Angel's ears lowered as she stood in fright. "Do not say her name." He spat out darkly. "And besides, eating isn't going to help me get over her either."

"Stitch, I know you miss her, we all do, but we've accepted the fact that she's dead. We all know she would've wanted us to move on. And we're doing the best we can." Angel finished in a whisper. "Don't you think it's time that you tried?"

"I already have." Stitch muttered bitterly. "I can't do it."

"I know it's hard, but-"

"You don't know how hard it is!" Stitch shouted at her, spinning so quickly it was a wonder he hadn't fallen. Angel blinked as he stared at her with anger and even hurt. "You never loved someone so much that you would be more than willing to die for them, but they left you first. You've never experienced the feeling of losing someone so dear to you. You never had to go through life without the one person you loved the most beside you. And you see, I have to. I loved her so much I was willing to die for her, but she had to leave me first. And it's hard! Continuing life as though nothing has changed when all reality, everything has changed drastically. The only reason that's keeping me from suicide is remaining strong for my family and knowing that although she is gone, I know she still loves me and is waiting for me to come back to her when my work here is done."

Without another word, he turned and left, tears falling from his face. Angel watched him go, feeling her heart sinking. She turned to Lilo, ripping back the covers to expose her best friend's sleeping body. She cradled Lilo's head in her hands and began crying, whispering and pleading to her to come out of her sleeping stage.

Jumba and Pleakley arrived a moment later with a glass filled to the brim with cold, solid, ice. Jumba carried a paper towel in his left massive hand. They rushed into the room, closing the door behind them. Angel explained what had happened shortly after they had left. Pleakley and Jumba exchanged glances of pity for the poor Stitch.

With a silent sigh, Jumba dumped the ice into the paper towel. He wrapped the paper towel around the ice cubes before planting it onto Lilo's warm head.

"I really hope Lilo comes out of this." Angel whimpered, stroking her friend's hair.

"Me too." Pleakley agreed. "Then this family would no longer have a reason to sulk."

Jumba was unresponsive, yet, both Pleakley and Angel knew what was going on through his mind. They both knew he desires just as much as Pleakley and Angel do, to have Lilo back. He didn't have to say it. His eyes that stared at Lilo with such expectation and concentrating face said all that needed to be said.

Note: I'M BACK FROM HAWAII! It was such an awesome week, and guess what? I met Lilo, Stitch, Jumba, Pleakley, Nani, Angel, Yaarp, Spats, and hundreds of experiments during my stay… In my dreams! That would be cool if it did happen. LOL. Hawaii was extraordinary! The sunsets were just dazzling, the forests are so lush and beautiful, the service they have is great. And the activities are such fun! The dinner cruise had such tasty foods and the ride on the ship was fascinating, even though I felt a little queasy. I went to see Pearl Harbor and man is it depressing. The audio tours, the brief movie, the tomb, everything about Pearl Harbor was upsetting and captivating at the same time. The luau was amazing too. I think I actually saw David on stage. The man was excellent with fires. My family and I were amazed! And the show was really alluring. Their dances were so graceful and with such spirit. The people were so warm and friendly. Our tour guides were hilarious people and kept calling us cousins. I have so many souvenirs from Hawaii, which is A LOT OF CLOTHING! I'm usually turned off from dresses and skirts, but when I saw their stuff, I went crazy for them. It was a little hard leaving that place, but it's GOOD TO BE HOME!

Aloha cousins!


	7. Chapter 7

The rays of sunlight seeped into the living room from where Stitch slept almost peacefully on the couch. As the rays cascaded on his sleeping face, he turned over to bury his head in the cushion to find darkness. He was having a dream, living in paradise and he didn't want the sun to wake him up from it. However, he didn't get to sleep long as the sound of thumping mingled in with his dream.

He growled as the dream faded away, leaving him in real life where he and his family are still grieving over the loss of the one who they loved dearly. He turned back over to see David wearing his swimsuit and a surfboard under his arm. Stitch sat up and stretched, flexing his limbs and yawning the whole time. When he felt refreshed, he stood from the couch and walked up to David.

David was downing a glass of milk, but paused when he heard Stitch from behind. He put down the glass halfway filled with milk on the counter to glance at Stitch.

Stitch eyed the surfboard. "Going to surf?"

"Yeah. I need something to get my mind off some things." David responded.

"Like what?" Stitch asked as he tilted his head a little.

"A lot. Work has been stressful. Nani is due to have Hale in four weeks. And also, my little sister-in-law's death has been hard for me to deal with too." David said and quickly changed the subject to avoid Stitch from lashing out at the mention of Lilo. "That's why I'm going to surf. Do you want to come?"

Stitch shrugged. "Yeah sure. Can I ask you something first?" David nodded, listening to the experiment. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"I suppose so. Why?" David asked, now curious.

"I had a dream. Lilo came back to me, but she was different. She wasn't human, she was experiment. She looked exactly like Angel except with scarlet red fur. She was beautiful." Stitch replied. "Do you think that dream might come true?"

"I don't know Stitch. I mean, she may be reincarnated, but I don't know. Don't get your hopes too high for Lilo coming back alright?" David answered, turning around to gulp down the last of his milk. "Now let's go surf!"

Stitch followed David as he strode to the door. They walked all the way to the beach, where there were no tourists and the ocean didn't particularly look inviting. David turned to the large rock against the lighthouse. A puffy experiment named Cannonball dozed on the rock. David lightly shook his awake. Cannonball's small black eyes opened and smiled at his cousin standing behind the man.

David asked for waves and Cannonball nodded at his request. He leapt from the rock into the ocean, creating a small splash. Stitch and David waited for a few minutes until the sound of rumbling shook the ground. David smiled as waves began rising and toppling back into the water. Cannonball was riding on one of the waves that sent him crashing to his sleeping place, his rock. David thanked him and ran out into the crystal blue waters, disappearing in the maze of waves.

"How is cousin doing?" Cannonball asked.

"Not too good." Stitch answered truthfully.

"Cousin still misses achie-baba?" Cannonball asked, using that name for his friend Lilo.

Stitch nodded. "Very much."

"Achie-baba still loves cousin just as much as cousin loves achie-baba." Cannonball replied gently and went on when Stitch remained silent. "But family also loves cousin too. Cousin should be thinking more about family than grieving over achie-baba."

"I'm trying Cannonball. You just don't understand how hard it is not seeing her at all. It hurts." Stitch replied in a quiet voice, sniffing to hold back the tears.

"Remember cousin Slick?" Cannonball replied. "Achie-baba still here. Maybe, right there." Cannonball reached out his small pink hand and placed it over Stitch's beating heart. "Cousin loves achie-baba just as much as achie-baba will always love cousin. She's always here. Cousin just too blind with grief and tears to realize achie-baba is near to him."

Stitch sighed and smiled. "Thanks Cannonball. But I don't just want to feel her near me, I want to see her too."

"Pi-pic-tures." Cannonball muttered out, trying out the new word. "Mem-or-ries. Cousin see ache-baba there. How long since cousin went to dome?"

"A long time." Stitch chuckled humorlessly. "Since I found her on the bed, dead, I couldn't bring myself to go up there. Every time I do, I see her dead body and the room still reeks of blood. Her blood." A tear began trickling down his cheek. "I can even hear her scream as she was shot."

Cannonball patted Stitch's back, gazing at him with concern and genuine compassion. "Cannonball wish he could help cousin, but Cannonball never lost a buchee-bu before. Soka."

Stitch laughed. "It's alright Cannonball. But believe me, you don't want to know how it feels when you lose the one you hold higher in your heart than everyone else."

For a while, the two cousins watched David riding wave after wave. Stitch stole a surfboard from the shack, but put down a few dollar bills from his hidden arms. He turned and headed out into the ocean. Cannonball plunged back into the ocean, creating waves just perfect for two. Stitch hopped on the board and rode out into the sea.

He paddled up to a wave and stood as it began rising. He held his balance as the wave sloshed him around. His genuine laugh of exhilaration echoed in the sky above him. David watched him with a huge beam, proud of himself that he had managed to make Stitch have fun. His attention adverted to an upcoming wave and he stood on his board, preparing for the invigorating ride.

Meanwhile, Jumba and Pleakley had already awoken and went to check on Lilo. It has been four months since they began their plan on Lilo and she has been improving more and more. There were times when her temperature would either plummet or rise considerably, but they had kept a vigilant eye on her to avoid from losing her again.

The two aliens chatted with each other as they entered the room that contained a sleeping Lilo. Jumba pulled out his key and placed it in the keyhole. A faint click caused him to put away his key, remove the lock, and opened the door. They walked up to Lilo and their eyes opened wide in surprise. Pleakley ripped back the covers and almost fainted at what he saw.

Anybody that knew Angel and did not know of Lilo returning to the living world would've thought Angel had died. For on the bed, wasn't the human body of Lilo, but her experiment body. She looked just like Angel in every form, color, and shape. She was the exact size as Angel was before her upgrades. Her fur was a rosy pink and with a lightly tinted chest. Her ears were the precise length as Angel's slightly pointed bat ears and her antennas were the same length as well. She even had the white V-crest engraved on her bosom.

"Where's Lilo?" Pleakley asked Jumba.

"It is being her Pleakley. It is her." Jumba beamed. "She has fully transformed and according to tests, her vital organs are remaining strong. All that's needed, is for her to wake up which will approximately be forty-eight Earth hours."

"So we can tell the family now?" Pleakley asked. "This secret has been killing me."

Jumba nodded. "Yes, we can be telling family. However, wait until dinnertime."

"But that's like hours from now." Pleakley whined. "I can't wait any longer to see our happy family smiling that Lilo is coming back!"

"Well, please be waiting until dinnertime. Now let's leave Little Girl alone to sleep." Jumba replied as he pulled the covers up to her chin and they both left her.

Of course, Pleakley was too excited with the news to keep it all to himself. He immediately phoned Angel and told her everything about Lilo's progress. This was when Stitch had just arrived from the beach and went in the direction of the kitchen to have a mug of coffee. He was about to enter the kitchen until he heard Pleakley's voice excitedly jabbering on and on.

"I know isn't it terrific news!" He shouted happily. "I can't wait to see their faces when we announce it. Especially Stitch! He's going to be thrilled!"

"Thrilled about what?" Stitch asked as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Gah! Stitch! You little monster, don't scare me like that. I have to go An-, er Angie. Yes and do please put that beautiful dress up for sale. I can't wait to see how stunning it would look on Nani. Yes, goodbye Angie. Take it easy Angie. Alright Angie. Bye Angel… Angie!"

Pleakley quickly slammed the phone back into it's place and grinned at Stitch. Stitch raised his eyebrows as his suspicion and curiosity arose. "Who was that?"

"Angie." Pleakley quickly replied.

"You just called her Angel." Stitch said.

"Angel, Angie. Sound the same don't they?" Pleakley questioned nervously, wishing Stitch would just walk away. Each minute that passed grew increasingly hard for Pleakley to contain the thrilling news.

Suddenly, a wide grin spread across Stitch's face. "Ooh, I know what this is."

Pleakley was flabbergasted. _Wow, he figured it out already. What a smart experiment. _Pleakley was about to explain his plan for bringing Lilo back, but Stitch beat him with another question. "Pleakley's got a girlfriend?"

"What!" Pleakley exclaimed. "I most certainly do- to. Yes, and her name is Angie. A beautiful um, lady."

"Wow, and here I thought you were going to go out with guys. It's nice to have a girl's affections, don't you think?" Stitch asked.

Pleakley nodded. "I guess so."

"So what is she like?" Stitch asked.

"Who?" Pleakley questioned.

"Angie." Stitch responded.

"Oh she's pretty. Nice. And um, pretty and just nice." Pleakley said lamely.

Stitch looked unimpressed, but turned his attention from Pleakley to fill his mug up with steaming hot coffee. Pleakley watched him as he gulped it down and refilled it a couple more times before leaving the kitchen. He sat on the couch, covering his bare self with a blanket and watched TV. He watched TV for a while until he became bored and restless. He reached for the remote to turn the power off.

Tossing his blanket aside, he sat up, stretching his cramping limbs. He stood from the couch and as neatly as he could, folded the blanket back up and placed it in the linen closet down the hallway. He looked out into the sky, seeing it was beginning to turn dark. Deciding there was nothing better to do, he left the house and climbed into the buggy. He drove for about ten minutes before parking the little red car in Angel's driveway.

He unbuckled himself and climbed out the buggy. He dashed up her porch and rang the doorbell. No one answered. He rang it again and knocked afterwards, but still, there was no answer. He didn't even hear footsteps nor voices. It was just silent. He sighed, concluding she was not home. He thought of Arlene, the female who kissed him. True he didn't enjoy it, but he didn't despise it either. After all, she said she was only being grateful that he allowed her to be his friend. She didn't mean anything more.

He went back to the buggy, this time driving to Arlene's house. He parked the car in her driveway. Before exiting the car, he stared at her house. He had to admit, it was fun being friends with her, despite her huge dislike for the person he loved the most, she was still a loyal friend and he was thankful that she was always there. With a small grin, he abandoned the car and walked up to her porch. He rang the doorbell confidently. He waited until he heard a click from the lock.

He smiled as Arlene swung the door open and beamed at her guest. She stepped to the side, allowing him access to her house. Stitch looked around, finding the room to be dimly lit by the blazing fireplace. The room silent save for the crackling of the flames.

"There are times I like spending a quiet night at home." Arlene explained.

"Sorry if I intruded." Stitch replied.

Arlene shook her head and smiled warmly. "No, you're fine. Come sit with me and have a mug of coffee. My treat."

Stitch smiled. "I don't see why not."

Arlene left him with a smile before leaving for the kitchen. "Feel free to explore if you like!"

Stitch nodded, even though she couldn't see him, and explored her house. First, he went up the stairs, observing his surroundings there. When he reached the top, he noticed it was some sort of a game room. Stitch had learned Arlene loved playing video games, it was her hobby and she was quite good at it. He had learned that when she played against him on the same game he used to beat Lilo.

She wasn't much of an organizer, he concluded. Her controllers were unraveled and left on the floor. The cabinet was a mess, for it held thousands of video games, some old that were out their cases and some new that weren't even opened. Her sofa was a mess too, with little pieces of fruit, popcorn, and even ice cream stained on the seats. He turned his head to the bathroom, and found that in a bit of a disorder as well, but cleaned properly.

He went for her bedroom, even though he knew exploring another girl's room, where their privacy is ensured, was wrong. However, she did say feel free to explore the house, so why not her bedroom? With a fiendish gleam in his eye and a quick twist of his lips, he ventured towards her room. He reached a hand to grasp the doorknob and opened the door. A cold sweep of air rustled his fur, but it didn't matter to him, and he stepped inside.

Her bed was an utter disarray. The sheets wrinkled, twisted together, and practically tossed everywhere. Her pillows dripping wet with drool and thrown carelessly on the ground. Her beauty desk, as the females called it, was mayhem as well. Her small brush still had little aqua strands of fur tied around the bristles.

_Wow, wouldn't Pleakley just love her. _He thought to himself sarcastically. He could tell straight away she was not an arranging person. Very much unlike Pleakley however, who feels everything has to be impeccably spotless or the world would end. He chuckled to himself before turning to the opposite wall. What he saw, enraptured his attention.

On the wall, hanging by the loop, was a plasma blaster. The similar blaster that could've led to the death of Lilo Pelekai.

"Now what would she need with this blaster?" Stitch asked himself as he began reaching out to it.

"I use it to scare away intruders." Arlene replied from behind him. He turned to see her, holding a mug of coffee. "I had to use it twice already because some thugs try to break in. Fortunately for me, I have that to scare them off. I don't kill them of course, because I am not a murderer no matter how much I loathe the person."

"Makes sense." Stitch agreed as he walked up to her.

"Your mug of coffee is waiting for you downstairs. Follow me." Arlene replied as she beckoned him with her finger to follow her downstairs.

They exited the room and walked down the stairs. Arlene led him into the living room and sat down on the couch, drawing a warm yellow blanket from the coffee table over her. Stitch followed afterwards, tucking the blanket securely around his waist. Arlene leaned over to curl her fingers around the handle of the coffee mug sitting on the table. She handed it to Stitch, who leaned back and savored the beverage.

For a while, everything was silent save for the crackling of the fire. They just watched as the fire burned brighter and as the flames grew taller without having conversation. Though their eyes were glued to the fire, their minds focused elsewhere. Of course, Stitch was thinking about Lilo and all the adventures they had together. Arlene was thinking about the entire situation. With Lilo dead, it opened a huge opportunity for her to comfort Stitch and make him fall in love with her. All she had to do was just be there for him, put her arms around him and allow him to cry on her shoulder, and have him open his heart to her and tell her about Lilo.

Stitch's eyelids grew heavy as sleep began donning on him. He blinked slowly, finding it harder to open his eyes each time they closed. Finally, he blinked one last time before going to sleep. Without his knowing, his head slid from the back of the couch and onto Arlene's shoulder. Arlene slightly jumped in surprise as her thoughts vanished. However, a smile grew on her face afterwards. She reached over for his half empty mug and placed it back on the table. She stood and immediately cupped his face to gently lay him down on the couch.

She brushed a hand over his sweet face, feeling her heart flutter in her chest. She got back on the couch and meekly crawled up to him. She slid into his arms, facing him. She caressed his cheek again before leaning forward to gingerly peck his lips. He didn't move. She carefully guided her arms around his neck and eased into his embrace, thankful he was such a heavy sleeper. She closed her eyes for sleep with a huge smile spreading across her face.

Outside, peeking through a window, was Angel. She had began searching for Stitch so she, Pleakley, and Jumba could tell the great news of Lilo coming back. However, they only had Nani and David together, but no Stitch. Therefore, she checked the places he would normally be. Her last resort was asking Arlene and boy did she get her answer. For she found Stitch and Arlene on the couch asleep, in each other's arms.

Her mouth slightly opened in a quiet gasp. Her ears flattened on her back as she observed the two experiments. _They're… in love?_


	8. Chapter 8

Jumba and Pleakley sat at the dinner table, delaying the announcement of the wonderful news until Stitch was with them. They lingered at the table, the long hidden secret burning to spill from their mouths. However, they continued eating as though there was nothing out of the ordinary. Much to their dismay, Nani stood and discarded both her plate and David's. David washed them for her then followed her out the kitchen.

"Where is 626?" Jumba asked himself.

Pleakley shrugged. "How am I suppose to know? Why didn't we tell Nani and David?"

"Evil Genius felt it to being right having whole family together." Jumba responded.

"Well? What now?" Pleakley asked.

"I am to be guessing waiting outside and see if 624 has found him." Jumba suggested and got up to leave.

Pleakley sighed in annoyance and followed his chubby friend outside. They strolled to their ship, where they found a certain pink experiment pacing back and forth in front of it. They approached her closer, and her ears picked up the sound. Angel looked up to see Jumba and Pleakley walking up to her.

"624, did you find him?" Angel nodded. "Where?"

She gulped. "With Arlene. They were on her couch… in each other's arms… asleep."

Both Pleakley and Jumba widened their eyes. There was a brief silence before Pleakley broke in. "Why would he be with her?"

Angel sighed. "I think he may love her. They have been spending some time together lately. I rarely see him on my doorstep and Bud says he rarely sees him either."

"But what about Lilo?" Pleakley asked.

"This is going to break her heart when she pulls through from the coma." Angel replied sadly, her ears and head lowering.

"I guess we should just give up. Just let her rest in peace." Pleakley resolved.

Angel hauled up her head on what the one eyed noodle said. "Why would you think we need to let her go? We came this far and now we're going to let her die again just because Stitch found solace with another girl?"

"Jumba is agreeing with 624." Jumba replied quickly. "After all, is not being only 626 that Little Girl loved. It was also family too."

"But it was Stitch she loved more." Pleakley reasoned.

"Maybe she'll find strange feeling with someone else. With 624's body design, she could snatch a male experiment quickly." Jumba said.

"Pleakley, we made it this close to having Lilo back." Angel replied as tears leaked from her eyes. "We shouldn't let her go and have to grieve over her again. Jumba's right, she will find another. Stitch isn't the only male experiment on this island."

"Where will she stay though?" Pleakley asked. "We can't keep her here because Stitch will see her. And that would be bad since he found someone else and the return of Lilo would mess things up a lot."

"Good point." Jumba replied.

"She can stay with me. When Stitch comes, she can leave through the backdoor. Besides, it'll be nice to have a sister with me." Angel said.

"Alright. So Little Girl will be living with 624 and hopefully be dating another male. Do you approve of this Pleakley?" Jumba asked.

Pleakley sighed and nodded. "Yeah I agree. But it'll still be heart wrenching for Lilo when she wakes up. The poor girl."

Jumba and Angel only nodded their heads before leaving to enter the ship. Jumba unlocked the door and they all stepped inside. Lilo's progress remained the same, no improvements nor inflictions. As Angel and Jumba observed her still body, Pleakley went into the next room for a glass of ice water. There, he spotted the communicator's yellow light flashing frantically.

He called out for Jumba, who rushed into the room a few seconds after the yelling. Angel was closely behind him. Jumba gasped at the communicator screen's light blinking rapidly. He had turned off the communicator during Lilo's funeral so that no calls would interfere with the ceremony, however, he had forgotten to turn it back on. This means he could've collected a bunch of calls and they may have been vital.

He typed in the password to turn on the communicator. The yellow light stopped its flashing, but glowed in the darkness of the room. The screen became static before a face peeked through it. As the static began to fade, the face of a very familiar person stared back at him. The face of the grand council woman.

"Mr. Jookiba, I have been trying to contact you approximately two Earth months ago." The grand council woman chided.

"Am being sorry, but ohana had Little Girl's funeral and I forgot to turn it back on." Jumba replied.

The grand council woman raised her eyebrow in confusion. "What is a funeral?"

"An Earth ceremony to which we say our goodbyes to that person who died before we lay them into the ground." Pleakley responded proudly. "Either that, or they creminate them."

"Cremate Pleakley." Angel corrected.

The grand council woman peered at Jumba with concern. "What happened to Lilo?"

"She died grand council woman. Somebody killed her while we were gone about two months ago." Pleakley responded.

The grand council woman licked her bottom lip unconsciously. "I think I may know who her killer is." All three of the aliens listened intently to what the grand council woman had to say, their inquisitiveness heightening for each moment the alien woman stalled. "I do believe Dr. Jacques Von Hamsterviel had something to do with her death. I received word that he had escaped prison two Earth months ago, so I'm assuming he went to Earth to get his revenge by killing off Lilo."

Angel scowled. "We should've known that gerbil would have something to do with this."

"Now it is not for certain, but it is being huge possibility." Jumba replied darkly, wishing his ex-partner would leave him and his entire family alone. "We will be keeping eye out for him."

The grand council woman nodded. "Contact me as soon as you obtain him. He may have brought back up if he did master Lilo's death so be careful and give my condolences and sincere apologies to Stitch and the experiments."

They complied to her request before Jumba shut it off. "So now Hamsterviel is on suspect list." Jumba murmured to himself and to the two aliens staring up at him.

The next morning, at Arlene's place, Stitch yawned groggily as the sun's rays cascaded over his sleeping face. Groaning, he cuddled closer to a warm body, tightening his grip around the delicate figure of a female. Wait? Body? Female? Stitch's eyes popped wide open and was greeted by the sight of Arlene's blissfully sleeping face. He sat up abruptly, trying to remember last night and if he had done something wrong.

His breathing pace sped up as he strived to recollect memories of what happened last night. Just when he was deeply in thought, Arlene began to stir. He scooted to the back of the couch and quietly slid to the floor. He took one last look at her before turning to leave. However, he didn't get too far when her hand had lunged out and grasped his. He turned to see her face full of hurt that he was leaving her without her knowing.

"Stitch? What's the matter?" She asked innocently.

"I have to go back home." Stitch replied to her and attempted to leave, but her grip still remained firm. "Arlene let go."

Arlene, still keeping her grip on his wrist, lithely skimmed to the ground. She walked closer to Stitch, keeping her pacific blue orbs locked onto his. Stitch stared at her in stupefaction, wondering what she was planning. A grin formed on her lips when Stitch became less tense. She whipped out her long tail and wrapped it around his waist, pulling his body close to hers.

An involuntary gasp of shock emitted from Stitch's lips as his lower part of his body contacted with hers. He struggled to tell her to let him go, but was further startled when she threw her slightly chunky arms around his neck. Stitch stared deeply into her ocean blue eyes, the eyes guy experiments and even guy humans would adore. However, to Stitch, her beautiful blue eyes had no effect on him whatsoever.

The only pair of eyes that he loved, were brown. A lovely chocolate brown shade that he found sweeter than heaven could ever offer. He could lose himself in those brown eyes and yet, would not feel alone. He could drown in the sea of her eyes and yet, wouldn't feel suffocated. He could stare and stare into those angelic orbs and never lose interest.

In fact, the more he stared into her blue orbs, they became lighter and faded into brown. Even the odd feeling of her tail securely circled around his waist began to diminish as well. Her aqua blue fur gradually converted to a tan color and softened into supple skin with a vibrant summer glow. Soon, he wasn't seeing Arlene, but Lilo. His Lilo. The girl he loved more than anything and always will. Her lips opened in a wide smile, her brown orbs sparkling with ecstasy. Stitch brought his arms around her waist, watching with delight as her grin grew wider and little splotches of pink tinted her clear tan cheeks.

Without waiting a moment longer, he dived for her lips. He felt her arms tightening around his neck and her lips beginning to move eagerly on his. He felt his heart flutter, felt his soul burning with a hot fire that could never be extinguished, feel as though he grew wings and was flying with her in his arms. He felt he could never let her go nor relinquish his hold on her. Never. He pulled her closer, making sure there was no space in between them.

As soon as he was beginning to enjoy the kiss, Lilo's kissing went from gentle and loving, to bruising and even possessive. He could also feel her leg slinging over his back securely. _Wow her leg is soft… and furry? _He thought to himself as he broke away from the kiss. The image of his sweet Lilo was gone and in her place, was Arlene staring at him with glistening blue eyes. His heart sank into the pit of his stomach when he realized he had only imagined Lilo. In addition to that, he had been, in reality, kissing Arlene. He quickly shoved himself out of her arms and tore to the door wordlessly. Arlene remained where she was, watching him leave with an aching heart.

Stitch raced to the Pelekai house, his heart rendering with significant guilt. What had he done? Lilo would've been so disappointed in him. He had vowed to her that she would be his last kiss. He vowed that she would be the only one in his heart, that it would be only her lips he would kiss and her skin he would caress. He had broken his promise and he knew Lilo absolutely hated it when people break promises.

His vision misted as the tears began to trickle down his cheeks like long rivers. He felt so ashamed of what he done. He wished he could take it all back, but he knew that he could not do a thing. Lilo was so upset with him that he could feel her stab a knife in his heart. The place where he must've hurt her the most. What had he done?

Once he threw open the door, he fell on the red couch and bawled. His obnoxious wails of anger and guilt woke up Angel, who was curled against the side of the couch. She had spent the night because she felt entirely too tired to walk back to her home. Her ears lifted at the loud sounds of yelling and heart wrenching sobs. She stood and leapt on the couch where she saw Stitch crying his soul out.

"Stitch!" She exclaimed worriedly. Stitch looked up just as she crashed into his arms. Stitch debated whether or not he should hug her back. His previous kissing scene with Arlene played again in his mind and he shoved Angel away from him. Angel almost fell off the couch had she not gripped the back of it just in time. "Stitch? What happened?"

Stitch looked at her through his blurred vision. "I kissed her. I kissed Arlene." He replied. "I cheated on Lilo."

Angel grinned and walked closer to him. Sensing her approaching him, he immediately backed away. "Stitch, it's okay to love someone else. Lilo would've wanted you to be happy."

"No! You don't know what she would've wanted alright! Stop saying that! She would want me to love her forever and I will do that." Stitch snapped angrily.

"Yes, she would've wanted you to still love her." Angel replied. "But she also would've wanted you to move on. You can love two people. A part of your heart will always belong to Lilo no matter how much time passes, and a part of your heart could open to Arlene. For humans, it's like having two puppies. They wouldn't favor one over another, but they would always love both of them just the same."

Instead of receiving a heated retort, she was met by silence, as though Stitch was considering over her words. He sighed frustratingly. "I kissed her because I imagined her as Lilo. I got too lost in the moment and I… kissed her." He sighed again. "Do you think I'm starting to attach to Arlene?"

Angel shrugged. "What do you think? Do you enjoy her company?"

Stitch nodded. "Yeah, she's fun to be with. She's the only one I could have fun with without Lilo barging into my thoughts except for when it's quiet."

Angel rested a hand on his shoulder. "Then give her the chance. See what becomes of it."

Stitch nodded. "I'll try it with her."

"Now more urgent news." Angel replied, catching Stitch's attention instantly. "Jumba, Pleakley, and I received word from the grand council woman that Hamsterviel has escaped. The same night Lilo was killed. We think he may have something to do with her death."


	9. Chapter 9

Stitch scowled as he thought about his past enemy. The small gerbil who was anything but adorable. The gerbil who had messed up his and Lilo's lives constantly for years. He had thought it was all over. Since the downfall of him and his Leroy clones as one last desperate attempt to become victorious, he had thought it was meant to be done. No more wild adventures, no more fear of his evil plots, and most of all, no more enemies. But he has come back and worst, he may have killed Lilo. If he did, Hasmterviel would not go to prison, but to his own grave. Stitch would ensure that.

However, a thought broke into his anger. Why hadn't they sighted Hamsterviel? It has been two months since Lilo's demise and now they hear of Hamsterviel's return? It just didn't seem to make sense to Stitch. If all he wanted was revenge, then why didn't he take it out on the entire family instead just Lilo? Stitch decided they should find Hamsterviel fast before the deranged gerbil does anything else. Without another word to Angel, he jumped from the couch and exited through the front door.

He walked from his house to the beach at the Lost and Found stand. He cringed as a boy child and girl child ran past him with the boy chasing the girl with a loaded water gun. He sighed as the girl's laugh reached his ears, reminding him of Lilo's exhilarating laugh when he took her to the tree. Just hours before someone took her life. He shook his head and continued up to the Lost and Found stand. It had two huge lines standing in front of the stand. Stitch cut in front, ignoring everybody's impatient and disapproving yells.

Finder was crouching below the counter to grab a teddy bear until he heard the turmoil outside. He lifted his head to discover Stitch. "Cousin knows rules. Back of line."

Stitch shook his head. "Finder, it's important."

"More important than my snorkeling gear!" A man shouted angrily from in the line.

"More important than my purse!" A woman screamed.

"More important than my dog!" A little girl yelled.

"More important than my-"

"Yes more important than your stupid stuff so just shut up!" Stitch hollered a lot louder than them, causing some people to turn their heads. Angry tears burned in his eyes. "Take responsibility than you would lose so many things!"

"Cousin! Gaba ika toosipa?" Finder asked curiously.

Stitch took in a breath to calm himself before answering his question. "Hamsterviel escaped prison. I need you to find him before he does any more harm."

Finder growled. "Lilo dies… Hamsterviel now?"

"Hamsterviel may have a link to Lilo's death." Stitch blurted, causing the red experiment to snap his head back up to him. "Grand council woman says he escaped prison two months ago. The same night Lilo was murdered."

Finder looked at the awaiting crowd. The ones close by with unbelievable faces, the ones in the middle listening intently to the conversation, and the ones in the back chatting irritably to others. Finder inhaled deeply before releasing a loud honk to let everyone know there was far more important matters that he had to abandon his job. Everyone grumbled as they walked away, glaring at Stitch as they went back to the beach.

Finder hopped on the counter then leapt off to land on the golden sand. He turned to walk away and begin his hunt for Hamsterviel, but stopped when Stitch began following him. Finder turned back to him and told him to go back. After much arguing, Stitch finally agreed to have breakfast. Then the experiments went their separate ways, one heading home and another putting his incredible skills to noble use.

When Stitch came home, he came to see his kitchen full with his family getting ready to eat. He noticed Angel had gone home due to her absence around the house. He stepped into the kitchen, his stomach demanding him to have some food. Stitch seated himself on one of the vacant seats, munching on a piece of toast and downing a mug of coffee. Everyone smiled as they saw Stitch finally eating. Though toast isn't filling for a meal, they were glad he was eating something.

"Jumba heard from grand council woman last night that Hamsterviel has escaped." Jumba replied.

"Angel told me this morning." Stitch said, nodding his head.

"Did she tell you it was two months ago? The same night Lilo was killed." Pleakley replied smugly.

"Angel told me that too. What I find strange is that it was two months ago. Shouldn't we be seeing more sightings of him?" Stitch asked.

"Good point 626." Jumba agreed as he nodded his head.

"Finder is out looking for him. I wanted to help, but he told me I should have some breakfast." Stitch grumbled.

"It's good that you're eating Stitch." Nani said with a large smile. "What do we do about Hamsterviel?"

"Wait until finding experiment is having Hamsterviel. We send him to council and-"

"And if he's proven guilty, I tear him to shreds with my own claws." Stitch growled out through gritted teeth.

Suddenly, there was a rapping at the door. Stitch got up to answer the door after wiping his face with a napkin. He opened the door to reveal Finder with a peculiar expression on his face. Finder shoved Stitch out of the way, not gently, and quickly strode up to Jumba.

"Finder malfunctioning!" Finder screamed at him hysterically. "Finder malfunctioning! Finder malfunctioning! FINDER MALFUNCTIONING!"

"Calm down 158. Why are you to be thinking you are malfunctioning?" Jumba asked.

"Can not find Hamsterviel!" Finder replied.

"Well, you were only out there for under ten minutes." Nani reasoned.

"Finder can't get scent! Usually takes Finder ten seconds to track scent! Finder malfunctioning!" Finder cried.

"Is being peculiar 158's nose is failing. 158 should be finding objects and creatures immediately. Can not be seeing why 158 could not be finding him." Jumba said as he shook his head.

"Finder malfunctioning?" Finder asked fearfully.

Jumba laughed. "No 158, you are not to be malfunctioning. There must be reason as to why Hamsterviel can not be tracked down by 158's incredible scenting abilities."

"Why don't we all try looking for Hamsterviel?" Nani suggested.

"Not you." David responded. "You have Hale to take care of Nani."

"Surfer boy is being right. Larger Girl stays here. Everyone else, let us to be finding Hamsterviel!" Jumba boomed as he got up from his seat.

Everyone followed suit and walked out the door, besides Nani of course, who laid down on the couch and put a hand on her swollen belly. Outside, everyone went their separate ways. Jumba and Pleakley went off together, David went with Finder, and Stitch took the left side of the island alone. He stuck his nose close to the ground until it was hovering just centimeters from the dirt and began walking on his four legs.

_Finder wasn't kidding. _Stitch thought in wonder. He had been on the trail for two minutes and still, he hadn't traced Hamsterviel's scent. Instead of quitting, he continued on, but still, he couldn't get the scent. He felt frustration overwhelm him, causing him to feel weary. He sighed in exhaustion as he slid his back down a tree. _Why is it so hard to find him?_

After a few minutes of rest, he stood and continued his mission. He was puzzled that he still didn't have even a bit of Hamsterviel's scent. Giving up after a long while, he went home to see if the others had found him. When he made it back to the house, he saw Pleakley and Jumba there, both shaking their heads. Stitch sighed in aggravation again and turned to look into the opening of the forest.

A little bit later, David and Finder emerged from the sea of trees. Finder looked disappointed in himself as David shook his head in negative. Stitch and Finder looked curiously at each other, both wondering how Hamsterviel could escape from their sensitive noses.

Other than the search party for Hamsterviel, things settled down at the Pelekai house. Stitch however, left to visit Lilo's grave. He had to ask her something. The kiss with Arlene had been on his mind for the whole day. He needed to ask Lilo if it was okay or if she was disappointed in him. He had a feeling she would be, but also understanding. He stopped in front of their old tree house and walked up to the small bump on the ground.

He crouched down and laid a hand on her grave. "Lilo, I still miss you and of course you know that, but I think I might be developing feelings for Arlene. I kissed her and strangely, it's been on my mind since then. Even though it was because I envisioned her as you, I don't think you just kiss somebody out of the blue. She is a good friend, always there to help me and lately, she doesn't insult you anymore. She still zones out when I talk about you, but she isn't as insulting as before. Lilo, please tell me if you're alright with me loving another. The family is starting to move on and I think I need to too. I know you probably feel the same way, but I want to know if loving another is what you want me to do. Give me some sort of sign Lilo. Please."

He looked down at the ring on his finger, glistening in the sun. A small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "I still remember the day I gave this to you. You were so happy. I've never seen you so happy in my life and I was overjoyed that it was me who caused that happiness. I hadn't parted with it since we… buried you. But I know, that you're gone. Even if I keep wishing for you to come home and wear this ring until the day I die, you're still not coming back. It's time I let you go and find someone else. That is what you want right?" A gentle breeze ruffled his fur and he imagined it was Lilo agreeing to it. Stitch's eyes adverted from the grave to the sky. "I know you're still here. Your presence is still there at the house. So many things remind me about you that it hurts so much to even remember."

He sighed. "I still haven't said goodbye, but now, I think it's time. I can't spend the rest of my life mourning over you. That's the last thing you would have wanted. So, I'm going to try to be brave, say goodbye, and tried to move on with Arlene. Just give me some sign that it's what you wanted." He dug a tiny, shallow hole in her grave and slipped the ring off his finger. He stared at the small piece of beautiful jewelry, wishing he had one last chance to spend one day with Lilo.

As he gazed at the ring, a flashback played through his mind. It was of the night when Lilo told him of her wish should anything happen to her…

FLASHBACK

_Stitch sat on his and Lilo's bed, reading the Ugly Duckling book. He couldn't believe how much time passed. It has been over a year since he met Lilo and they have accomplished so much together. They have caught all 625 genetic experiments and gave all of them homes. They were known everywhere around the galaxy as the Galactic Alliance Heros. Even Lilo had gain some respect from Myrtle and the girls after saving Myrtle and Gigi's lives from Leroy. Now, they were together, as a couple, and Stitch thinks it was the best thing that had ever happened to him._

_While he was in deep thoughts about this, Lilo had entered dome in her aqua nightgown. She smiled at Stitch as he continued to read his book, not noticing her standing there. Lilo went around to the front of the bed, still undetected. She crawled up the front of the bed and sat on Stitch's legs. His hands lowered the book to reveal his face._

"_I feel lonely." Lilo sighed._

_Stitch smiled. "Then go find a boyfriend."_

_Lilo shrugged. "Okay."_

_She went to get off, but Stitch snatched her arm and pulled her back. Apparently, he had been very quick since the book was no where in sight. She laughed as he tugged her back so she laid on the heap of pillows and beside the one who loved her so much more than she could ever know. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close._

_She smiled and closed her eyes happily as he lingered a kiss on her forehead. They curled up against each other, using each other's warmth instead of blankets. They sighed in ecstasy as sleep began to wash over them. Stitch tilted her chin to give her a sweet goodnight kiss._

"_I love you." He whispered._

"_I love you too." Lilo murmured back._

_He stared at her grinning face, stroking her cheek lovingly. "What would life be like without you."_

"_Do you want to know?" She asked._

"_Naga takaba!" He cried in turian._

_She laughed and kissed his nose. "How would you feel if I die?"_

"_I would be upset, depressed, may even try to kill myself." Stitch responded._

"_I don't want you to do that." Lilo said and her voice sounded serious._

_Stitch raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"_

"_Because I would want you to be happy. I would want my entire family be happy. Death may be depressing, but it doesn't have to ruin everyone's lives." Lilo reasoned._

"_I don't know Lilo. I've been hearing a lot that death not only takes a life of a person, but also a soul of another." Stitch replied._

"_That may be true." Lilo agreed. "But there's always a bright side. When I lost my parents, I felt I couldn't continue. Death took my soul, but not anymore. You came into my life and now I'm happy. I'm sure that's how my parents would have wanted that too."_

_Stitch smiled a smile that clearly read 'I'm the best there is!'. "I really turned everything around didn't I?"_

_Lilo slapped his arm playfully, causing them both to giggle. "Yes, you did. I'm very grateful." She leaned in to kiss him tenderly one last time before repeating what she had said just a moment ago. "I mean it Stitch. I want my family to be happy. I would want you to love me still, but not grieve over me forever. I'm not worth that."_

"_You are to me." Stitch replied._

"_Stitch, if anything ever happens to me, I want you to move on. Do not grieve over me, do not kill yourself, and do not shun yourself from others. Find love with someone else and be happy." By then, she had tears forming in her eyes. She didn't know why, but something inside her told her something bad would happen very soon._

_Stitch was concerned as he wiped away the tears trickling down her cheeks. "Lilo, is there something you're not telling me?"_

"_Stitch, I've been having nightmares about something happening to me. There was this one nightmare I had when I was in a strange place and my parents showed me our ohana and especially you, grieving. I woke up when they told me I was dead. I don't know Stitch. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, I still haven't been able to shake it off. I just want you to know that if anything does happen to me, I want you to move on."_

"_Are you sure that's what you would really want?" Stitch asked._

"_Yes." She said and nodded her head to confirm it. "Just don't forget me."_

_Stitch smiled and shook his head. He grabbed both of her hands and put them together to form a little ball. He kissed both of her hands before her lips. "Ohana means family and family means no one is forgotten. I'll always love you."_

"_But you will move on?" Lilo interrogated._

_Stitch nodded. "Yes. Now can we go to sleep? Death is ways off. It's too early to talk about it."_

"_Well you never know Stitch." Lilo replied. "Death has a weird way of getting around. You don't know which day is going to be your last."_

END OF FLASHBACK

Stitch released a tear as he placed the ring in the small hole. He pushed the dirt back inside the hole to cover the ring. The little color of silver gradually grew darker the more dirt Stitch piled on it. Finally, it was concealed in the dirt. Stitch looked up to the sky once more. "Are you sure you want me to love Arlene?"

It had been such a cloudy day and there was no sun. However, the clouds slowly moved aside for the sun to cascade its rays on Stitch. The experiment smiled as tears formed in his eyes. "I will always love you though Lilo. You will not be forgotten. I promise you that!"

With that being said and done, He sped from Lilo's grave to Arlene's little house. He was still uncertain if this was really the best way to move on, but he knew that is what Lilo would have wanted. As much as he hated to admit it, his family were right. She wouldn't have wanted him to kill himself or reject another's love, she would have wanted him to continue life but never forget her. He could do that. He could love another, but he would still love Lilo more.

He approached Arlene's house and raised a fist to rap at the door. He waited a few seconds before Arlene answered it. She smiled upon seeing it was him and gave him a friendly hug. Much to her surprise and delight, he hugged her back and firmly. She pulled away to smile at him and was further relieved to see his expression mirroring hers.

"Arlene, though you will never take the place of Lilo, I still want to give this a chance. Will you go out with me for dinner tonight and see where it'll lead from there?" Stitch asked.

Arlene grinned. "Stitch I would love to, but how about tomorrow night? I'm going over to Bud's place to hang out. It's been a long while since we had a real get together and we planned on it for tonight. Sorry, but tomorrow sound okay?" She asked hopefully.

"Of course. See you tomorrow then. Meet me at Poppi's at 7:15." Stitch instructed.

Arlene nodded eagerly. "Can't wait. See you tomorrow then."

Stitch bent over to kiss her cheek quickly before turning back to head home. Arlene watched him go with a contented smile on her face just before shutting the door.

_Can't turn back now. _Stitch thought to himself as he walked up the porch steps. The day continued on uneventfully until it was time for dinner. Jumba and Pleakley still kept the secret of Lilo coming back to themselves, more because nobody wouldn't even pay attention to them. Everyone was gazing at Stitch as he devoured his plate, even licked it clean.

His smile practically made everyone jump out of their skin. His smile was not forced, but genuine. Only Jumba and Pleakley could guess Arlene was the one who put that incredibly large grin on his face. However, Stitch was smiling because after having that little talk with Lilo, he wanted to be happy. If she could only see him smile.

Stitch bade everyone a good night before turning to the couch. He stared at the couch then turned his head to the dome. He gulped down his nervousness and walked up to the dome. He placed his hand on the cold steel material before climbing aboard. The platform whirred and slowly ascended to his old room. The ride was over as Stitch stepped off the lift and looked around in his old room.

It has been such a long while since he even stepped a foot in this room. It brought back so many memories and even one disastrous memory he wished to forget. The sight of Lilo's dead body on the bed. He turned to the bed, remembering the fateful night much too well. He wished he could just forget it. Pretend it never happened in this room. However, it did and he had to look past that.

Swallowing down his fear, he crawled up to the bed, trying to forget about the scent of Lilo's blood. He pulled back the covers and slid into the bed, drawing the warm covers over him. He laid there for a bit, trying to get used to the feeling without Lilo beside him. He could feel the tears beginning to pour from his eyes.

"Aloha Oe'" He sung to himself, remembering Lilo's coping mechanism. As he sang the song though, memories of his past with Lilo flashed through his mind.

"Aloha Oe'"

Memory of the time he first met Lilo.

"E ke onaona noho, I ka lipo"

Memory of the time he was granted permission to stay on Earth. He was happy and so was she as she gave him a huge hug and wore a big smile on her face. Stitch thought she was so endearing whenever she graced him with that smile of hers.

"One fond embrace, A ho'i a'e au"

Memories of their adventures together. The time when they fled to space to bring back the 625 experiments. All the adventures they shared together with not only capturing the experiments, but little encounters with Hamsterviel. The memory of the ultimate showdown when the Leroys had brought Lilo and Stitch back together and made them realize that with each other, is where they truly belong.

"Until we meet again."

The memory of seeing her sprawled on the bed with a bleeding gash on her stomach from a plasma shot. No matter how much time passes, he would never forget that sight. Another sight that would stay with him forever, was watching her coffin lid slowly folding over her. The time where he panicked that he had lost her.

He had his eyes closed even while he sang and never opened them for the night. As soon as his last memory of Lilo faded, sleep clouded over his senses. Before he could sleep however, he heard the most beautiful voice he hadn't heard in a long time. He didn't know if it was from a memory, or if it was her herself contacting to him, but whatever happened, he heard it. And it was the sweetest thing he had heard in a long time.

_I will always love you._

Note: I am having SERIOUS problems with this story. The chapters are too short, everything seems to be rushed and doesn't make much sense, and I fear I'm losing my touch and making this story boring. Please do not hesitate to PM me or at least review me with some ideas and whether or not you think I should just delete the story and try to re-write it. The last thing I want to do is re-writting the whole entire thing, but I'm fearing it's the best I should do. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! HELP!


	10. Chapter 10

_Bang! Bang! Bang! SPLAT!_

_Lilo jerked herself from the bed as she heard that noise coming from outside. Terror filled her being as she heard someone from downstairs break through the door. She knew her family wouldn't be doing that, so it had to be an intruder. She turned to jump out the window and use the escaping method Stitch had taught her, but she was paralyzed in fear when she heard the elevator whine._

_When the elevator stopped buzzing, there, shrouded in the darkness, stood an outline of an experiment. "Who are you?" Lilo demanded._

_The experiment didn't answer her. Instead, she felt a searing pain in her stomach after hearing the blast from a plasma gun. The force knocked her off her feet and sent her crashing on the bed. The experiment quickly evacuated the room via window to avoid running into a family member. _

_Lilo laid on the bed in severe pain. She held her stomach, feeling her hands drench in something warm and sticky. She lifted her hands to her face and if she had enough vigor, she would've screamed loud enough to have people in China calling the police. For on her hands, glistening in the light of the moon, was blood. Crimson red blood slowly trailing down her hand to her wrist._

_Breathing heavily, she lifted herself up as best as she could. She moaned in pain as the burning in her stomach intensified. She ignored the pain as she reached for the phone and collided back onto the bed. She dialed Nani's cell phone number, hoping her sister had brought her cell phone._

_She began to lose hope as the phone continued to ring, however, she felt her spirits lift when she heard her sister's voice on the other end of the line._

"_N-Nani…please come…home." At this point, she felt bile rising up her throat. She coughed and further panicked when she tasted the metallic taste of blood. "S-Someone t-…tore the door down. H-he hur-hurt m-me. Please…please…please he-help me." _

_Losing her energy to even hold on to the phone, she limply laid it at her side with her hand clutching on to it. She coughed up some more blood, moaning as the pain increased. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she realized this was it. This was how she was going to die. In pain, alone, and a family to discover her body. _

'_Stitch…' She thought to herself. 'Please don't forget your promise… Please still love me, but don't grieve over me for the rest of your life. Be happy.'_

_With that, she closed her eyes. The pain grew more bearable with each moment that passed. Finally, she inhaled her last breath and exhaled it out slowly for the very last time in this life._

An experiment squirmed around in the bed, moaning as she returned to life. Her black eyes with a very small brown pupil in them, cracked open. She stretched her limbs to get the blood flowing. She raised her hands to rub her tired eyes and when she pulled them away, she gasped. Her hands were… pink experiment paws!

She sat up abruptly, checking out her new body. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she felt all around her body, expecting to feel skin but all she felt was fur. She reached for her head and panicked to find her raven hair gone. In its place, were two long pink antennas with a little curl at the end.

"Little Girl!" Boomed an excited Russian voice. "You are to being fully alive!"

Her ears perked at the familiar voice. Once the voice registered in her head, she beamed excitedly. "Jumba!"

Jumba raced into the room with a large grin on his face. His arms outstretched as he approached Lilo, lifted her from her bed, and held her in one gigantic hug. She hugged her Uncle Jumba back just as tightly as he was. They were interrupted by two more aliens entering the ship; Pleakley and Angel.

"You're alive!" Pleakley shouted happily as he raced to the hugging pair and plucked Lilo from Jumba's grasp.

"Good to see you guys too." Lilo replied with tears in her eyes. She embraced her Aunt Pleakley just as tightly as she did to Jumba before he set her down.

"Lilo!" Angel cried in joy from behind them.

Lilo turned to see her best friend, besides Victoria of course, and sprinted to her. Angel held out her arms and Lilo crashed into them. The two girls hugged and cried on each other's shoulders as though they were best friends since they were born. Angel pulled away, looking over her friend.

"I think I'm looking at a mirror." Angel joked.

Lilo laughed. "I really do look like you don't I?"

Angel nodded. "Now you're beautiful."

"Gee, thanks for telling me I was ugly before." Lilo pouted as she crossed her arms, but smiled to let her friend know she was only teasing. "So, how have things been going?"

Pleakley and Jumba exchanged a look of sorrow. They knew at this very moment that Stitch was with Arlene. It had been a week since he first asked her to dinner and apparently, they hit it off so well. Now, Stitch was practically living with Arlene. Every morning he would have breakfast with her, every afternoon he would have lunch with her, every night they would have dinner together, and he had even spent a couple of nights at her place.

Lilo noticed their hesitance and knew something was wrong. "What happened?"

"Lilo… Stitch is with Arlene." Pleakley blurted.

Instead of Lilo screaming or crying as they had expected her to, she only asked one question. "Is he happy with her?" Pleakley nodded. Lilo bowed her head to conceal the tears dropping from her eyes. "I told him that if anything should happen to me, he would find happiness with someone else. I'm glad he remembered my wish."

Jumba, Pleakley, and Angel began telling her about how life had been like without her. They told her about how hysterical Stitch behaved when he found out she was gone. They filled her in on the plan Jumba had thought about to bring her back. They described the funeral they held for her and the place where she was buried. They informed her of baby Hale's birth and how much of a cutie he is. It made Lilo feel remorseful that she wasn't there to see her nephew take his first breath of life.

After explaining things to her, she was immediately whisked away to another room. In front of her was a massive teleporting pod. On the side of it was an enormous keyboard with different colors of buttons. Jumba explained to her that to avoid causing confusion between her and Angel, she had to pick which color she wanted her fur to be. She picked the lovely shade of a deep red, which was the color scarlet.

She stepped inside the tube and watched as she was enveloped in a ruby haze. When the mist faded into nothingness, she stepped out from the tube. Her fur was the same color she picked, but it went an even deeper shade to make her look astounding. Her underbelly was a light cherry color. The tips of her antennas were violet purple, similar to Angel's tips.

Jumba, Pleakley, and Angel nodded approvingly. "Now what?" Lilo asked as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Come live with me." Angel replied as she held out her hand to her friend.

Lilo took Angel's hand and they left the ship together. Lilo and Angel walked silently to her house. Angel unlocked her door and she along with Lilo stepped inside. Angel directed her to the couch. "I hope you don't mind sleeping there. It's the only place I know is comfortable for you."

"It's fine Angel." Lilo replied. "I'll be okay."

"You sure?" Angel asked.

Lilo nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Lilo, I truly am sorry about Stitch. There was still a chance you wouldn't make it and I wanted to see Stitch happy again."

Tears leaked from Lilo's eyes. "Was he upset?"

"Lilo, he went insane without you." Angel answered. "He refused to go up the dome, he barely ate or drink, all he would have is a little bit of food and twenty mugs of coffee a day. I'm surprised Arlene still likes him. He was a mess!"

"But he's okay now?" Lilo questioned. "He's not grieving over me anymore?"

"No, not anymore. He still loves you though and he really misses you." Angel said.

Lilo nodded. "Did you ever found out who killed my human body?"

"We're thinking Hamsterviel has something to with this. He escaped from prison on the night you died." Angel responded.

Lilo looked away. "Of course he had something to do with this. He must've send an experiment to kill me. Did you find him?"

"Strangely, Stitch nor even Finder can get his scent." Angel replied, perking Lilo's interest. "We still haven't found him, but we're still looking for him. Stitch threatens he would tear the gerbil limb form limb if he's the one who killed you."

Lilo laughed. "He's so sweet isn't he?" Her smile wiped off her face when she remembered he and Arlene were together. "Why can't I at least be friends with him without giving out my identity."

"Wouldn't that drive you mad Lilo?" Angel asked. "To be near him, but never get to hold him or kiss him. Instead, you would have to go through the pain of seeing him with someone else. To have a hunk like Stitch would make me go crazy that I can't have him for a boyfriend."

"Yeah, I guess that would be painful for me." Lilo sighed.

Angel noticed the tears beginning to well up in her friend's eyes and quickly changed the subject. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

Lilo nodded her head in affirmative. Angel turned back to the kitchen while Lilo waited on the couch, thinking of how drastically her life is going to change. Not only was she not going to live with her family, but she wouldn't be Stitch's girlfriend or his best friend anymore. She wasn't sure if she could live with that, but she was going to try.

Angel returned with a bowl of Lilo's favorite kind of cereal and a glass of water in case she wanted it. She handed Lilo the bowl of cereal and set the water glass on the table in front of them. Lilo and Angel engrossed themselves in a conversation as Lilo devoured her cereal and water greedily.

Once she finished, Angel took the dishes from her and laid them in the sink. Too drained to clean them, Angel soaked them in water before turning to Lilo. The girl was on her back with a blanket over her. She wasn't asleep, for her eyes didn't close, but it looked like she was thinking about something.

"Angel? Can I still see my family? I want to see my nephew so bad." Lilo interrogated hopefully.

"Sure. Stitch would be with Arlene for the whole morning, so tomorrow morning, I'll take you. I can't wait to see Nani's reaction to this!" Angel giggled.

Lilo smiled and lifted her hands to her face. "I really do look different. Not even Stitch is going to recognize me. It'll be best for him."

Angel grinned. It was so nice to have her best friend back. Even if her life was going to be very different, she was confident that Lilo was strong enough to continue through life.

Meanwhile, Arlene watched as Stitch slept in front of the fireplace. They had been cuddling together after having their dinner and he fell asleep. He slept with a blissful grin on his face and Arlene wondered whether it was meant for her, or if he was thinking about Lilo. That girl had been the topic of every conversation.

She felt a powerful feeling grip her heart. She gasped in surprise at the unknown feeling. As it tugged harder, she knew what the feeling was. Guilt. Arlene had learned a lot about Lilo from Stitch. She learned how she had been brave enough to stand up to the council about the freedom of the experiments. That had made her feel slight respect for the girl. She never knew Lilo had such guts. It made her feel terrible at what happened to her. Even though she repeated to herself she wasn't a murderer over and over again, something inside her told her she was.

She loosened her grip around Stitch's neck and gently pushed herself away from him. She stared at his face, guilt once again wrenching at her heart. What had she done? She had destroyed Stitch's happiness for what? For her own? That wasn't the answer because if she was supposed to be happy, then why was she feeling this guilt?

She walked over to the phone and lifted it to her ear. She dialed Bud's number and listened as three rings passed by. Finally, she heard a grumpy and groggy voice picking up the phone. "Hello?" The person grumbled.

"Bud? It's Arlene." Arlene whispered into the receiver so Stitch wouldn't overhear her.

"Arlene?" He sounded very exhausted as he yawned. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"I just have to talk to a friend about something Bud." Arlene replied.

"Are you alright?" Bud questioned worriedly.

"I'm not sure." Arlene said.

"Is it Stitch?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"I feel guilty."

"Guilty? About what?"

"Lilo."

She heard Bud sigh. "Arlene, what's done is done. We can't change the past."

"I wish we could." Arlene whimpered. "The guilt hurts. Every time Stitch talks about her I feel so… unworthy of his love. I should've left Lilo and him alone."

"Don't go over what you should've done and what you shouldn't have done. That isn't going to change anything. Lilo's dead and we can't change that. Just enjoy your life with Stitch okay? Now goodnight."

"Goodnight." Arlene replied in a small whisper as she put the phone back in its place. She looked back at Stitch and a tear dripped from her eye. "I'm so sorry. I caused all of this and I promise I will make you happy. I caused your sadness and I will stop at nothing to make it all go away."

Note: Okay, sorry for freaking out. It's just that I feel the story is getting boring with it being short and not enough action. Right now I have thirteen chapters for this story, so I jsut want to make sure you guys are still enjoying it. My hits were decreasing yesterday and that's why I panicked. But now I'm calm and I will try to complete this story. So, no I won't be deleting it.


	11. Chapter 11

Angel groaned at the annoying buzzing of her alarm clock from beside her bed. She slapped the button on the top of the alarm to shut it off. She drew the covers off her body and stood. She exited her room after covering her shivering body with her purple robe. She sulked downstairs, too bleary to dash down the stairs.

She went to go wake up Lilo, but found her sitting on the couch with a towel wrapped around her. Angel guessed Lilo had taken a shower due to her fur being soppy wet. Lilo turned to look at her friend, giving her a toothy smile. Angel returned the smile and sat down beside Lilo.

"You're up early." Angel remarked.

"I'm eager to see my family again. Can we go now?" Lilo asked.

"Wait for your fur to dry at least." Angel replied.

Lilo smirked and stood from the couch. She unwrapped the slightly drenched towel and dropped it on the couch. She fell to all fours, lifted her body up, and shook like a dog that had just left the pool. Angel giggled as the water drops sprayed on her. Lilo shook her fur all around until she felt least wet.

Lilo stood back up on her hind legs then gestured her claw to the door. Angel rolled her eyes before jumping off the couch to join her friend. The two girls left Angel's house and began their way to the Pelekai home. Lilo stopped in front of her old house. Like a child, she laughed and ran up the driveway. Angel took off after her and the two friends dashed up the stairs to the porch.

Angel knocked at the door and waited for a bit. While they waited, Angel informed Lilo about how Nani handled her death. Lilo felt proud of her sister when she learned that although she had suffered through the loss of her sister, she still cared for Hale and did not neglect him once.

The door opened to reveal Nani. "Angel? What are you doing here?" She then adverted her attention to the red experiment beside her. "Who is this?"

"I'll explain later, just let us in." Angel commanded and Nani stepped aside to let them come in. Lilo observed her old house, finding that nothing had changed. She turned back to Nani and smiled happily at Nani's still slightly swollen belly. She couldn't wait to look at Hale.

"Now who is she?" Nani demanded as she turned back to the scarlet experiment. She looked at her straight in the eyes and noticed a very small brown pupil standing alone in the raging sea of black. _Those brown eyes look…familiar._

"Nani, this is Lilo." Angel blurted.

Nani widened her eyes then snapped her head back at the pink experiment. "W-What?"

"It's me Nani." Lilo pleaded, hoping her sister would recognize her.

Nani's jaw was ajar as she looked back and forth between Lilo and Angel. She wanted to believe Angel was right and that this experiment was her sister that she had been missing for so long. She desired it to be Lilo, but it was impossible right? She looked back at the experiment. The color was a scarlet red, Lilo's favorite color. Then there was those brown pupils. Those brown eyes that she looked into countless of times to talk with her sister, to laugh with her, to cry with her, to yell at her. She remembered those brown eyes and it was those eyes that made Nani start believing.

Lilo stood still as her sister calmly approached her. She inhaled a deep breath as Nani placed both of her hands on her shoulders. Lilo looked into her eyes. She saw all the pent up sorrow, anguish and pain since she had died. Tears began forming in Lilo's eyes and she wrapped Nani into a hug. She felt her sister beginning to cry on her shoulder. Lilo couldn't keep her emotions hidden for long and soon, both girls were weeping.

Angel watched with a heartfelt smile as the sisters embraced each other for the first time in a long while. She could feel her own eyes beginning to well up with tears and turned away to wipe them away with her claws.

Nani pulled away from Lilo. Both of them had large smiles on their faces with tears still dripping down their cheeks. "Welcome home baby."

"Good to be home." Lilo replied, her voice cracking from the emotions running through her like little mice scampering around for cheese.

Nani smiled once more. "You must see Hale."

Before Lilo knew it, Nani had whisked her away to her room. She pushed the door open gently and beckoned for Lilo to come. Lilo stepped through the doorway, meticulous to not make a loud sound. Nani motioned for Lilo to come closer to a crib that was up against her window and only centimeters from his mother's bed.

Lilo stepped closer then peered over the railing to see a little baby wrapped in a warm, fuzzy blue blanket. The baby would've been a spitting image of his father if it wasn't for Nani's lighter skin tone. Lilo reached her hand in to smooth the baby's raven hair, a tear falling from her eye that now, she was an aunt. She had a little baby nephew. The feeling of that was so overwhelming that she almost collapsed to the floor.

Hale squirmed under her hand. Lilo held in her breath as he opened his eyes. He had the eyes of the Pelekai family with deep, chocolate brown orbs. Hale gave a goofy smile as he reached up to try to touch Lilo's experiment face. Lilo looked over at Nani who nodded. Lilo reached in to wrap her arms around Hale and gently lifted him from his crib. She cradled him in her arms, kissing his forehead and saying she was sorry that she wasn't there when he was born.

Hale must've felt safe in her arms for he didn't even cry once. He cuddled up to her and reached up to play with her antennas. Lilo laughed as the baby yanked at it curiously, wondering why she would need them. Lilo allowed him to play with them, besides he wasn't hurting her. Hale remained in her embrace, tugging at her red antennas while she held him.

"Have you had breakfast yet Lilo?" Nani asked.

Lilo only shook her head, too absorbed in her nephew's inquisitiveness. It was Angel that gave her a verbal answer. "No, Lilo wanted to see all of you right away."

"Well, I can make breakfast for all of you. Come into the kitchen." Nani replied.

"Can I still hold Hale?" Lilo asked hopefully.

Nani laughed. "Sure you can. I'll show you where his little play pen is and you can play with him in there."

Nani led Lilo into the living room. She disappeared into the hallway for a moment, but came back out with three child safety fences. She locked one that led into the hallway, one adjoining to the kitchen, and one leading into the bedroom. Lilo set Hale down as Nani dumped in all the toys for Hale to play.

Lilo stayed in the living room with him, playing the role as a lovable aunt. As Lilo played with her nephew, Nani and Angel chatted in the kitchen. Nani was frying up a pan to heat up cold bacon while Angel sat at the table watching her. She watched in silence, but then Nani spoke up.

"How did you manage to bring Lilo back?" Nani asked.

"Jumba did a little research and found out that experiment blood can be life saving to certain creatures, specifically, humans whether they're injured or been dead for three days. However, Lilo had forty percent chance of coming back so that's why we didn't tell you. We were afraid that she wouldn't make it after all." Angel explained. "She has my blood in her so that's why she looks like me aside from the color difference."

"So you two are basically sisters now." Nani giggled.

"I guess so." Angel chuckled. "I'll assume David is at work, but where's Jumba and Pleakley?"

"Pleakley dragged Jumba to the mall with him." Nani replied. "And you're right, David is at work. He doesn't come home until five."

"Mind if I bring Lilo back over by then to see David?" Angel asked. "I know she also wants to see her brother in law."

"What do you mean 'bring Lilo back over'? She's staying with us." Nani replied firmly.

"Nani, Stitch is with Arlene remember?" Angel responded just as stern. "If Stitch sees Lilo, it would most likely damage his relationship with Arlene. And who knows, Arlene just might be the killer."

"Then dehydrate her or get her away from Stitch. I want my sister home with me." Nani replied.

"We can't just say she 's the one who did it without evidence. We don't know if she's the killer!" Angel snapped.

"Then get that fibbing experiment." Nani suggested.

"Fibber is in Montana remember? Fibber said he had to leave to Montana because the suspect may be hiding there. We can't just drag him out his job. We'll have to wait until he comes back which he says will be a while." Angel said.

Nani groaned in fury. "Why can't we just have Lilo here but do not tell Stitch who she really is?"

"You think that will work? Sooner or later, the beans will spill to Stitch. Besides, do you really want to put Lilo through that? She'll have to watch the only one she had ever loved move on with Arlene. That'll just break her heart!" Angel replied. "No, she's staying with me. I won't let her get hurt and I'll bring her over whenever you call for her. As long as Stitch is out of the house, then I'll bring her."

Nani sighed. "I guess that is the only fair way."

Meanwhile, Stitch stirred under the sheet. He yawned tiredly as his eyes opened to face a fireplace. He sat up and stretched, rotating his head to find Arlene. Judging from the delicious scent wafting from the kitchen, he concluded she was in the kitchen. He stood and walked into the kitchen to see her with her back to him making a batch of pancakes.

Stitch slithered up from behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Arlene turned to him with a smile, but to Stitch, it seemed more so that she forced it. However, he didn't get a chance to comment for she took him into a tight embrace. She pulled away to kiss him briefly and turned back to her cooking. Stitch wondered what was wrong with her. She usually wasn't so distant.

"Arlene?" Stitch asked curiously. "Are you okay?"

Arlene nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Just hungry you know?"

Stitch nodded, though not entirely convinced. "I'm going to go find Hamsterviel. How long will you take?"

"Twenty minutes, but take an extra five for me to set up the table." Arlene responded.

"Be back in twenty-five then." Stitch said as he kissed Arlene's cheek then left through the door.

Arlene watched him go, sighing as the door closed behind him. She knew he was going to make finding Hamsterviel his life long mission. When all along she knew he was looking for the wrong one. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she turned back to her cooking. In twenty-five minutes, she had the breakfast plates filled with pancakes topped with syrup with bacon and scrambled eggs on the side.

She waited for Stitch to come back, to which she didn't have to wait too long. He entered the kitchen saying he had no luck. Arlene nodded her head and sat down at the table. She tried striking up a conversation with him, but all Stitch kept thinking about is why they haven't sighted Hamsterviel at all. Surely he would do a lot more than just kill off Lilo? There had to be more to his revenge right?

Sorry it's short, I figured this would be a good way to end it. Now don't you guys get attach to Arlene/Stitch, Lilo will be entering Stitch's life again shortly.


	12. Chapter 12

Four months has passed since Angel welcomed the new experiment Lilo into her home. Things had been going well since then. Lilo was still able to see her family and watch as her nephew, Hale, grew. Angel and her had been getting along very well. Some say it was surprising that they were enemies for a long time in the past. The only thing that Lilo wanted more than anything, was Stitch to know she was alive. She had never seen a sight of Stitch since she was brought back to life except for in pictures and her dreams. Angel knew Lilo was still hurting over Stitch, but she also knew what could happen if Lilo was even a foot near him. So, Lilo took comfort in the fact that Stitch was happy with Arlene. Even if that hurt her even more, she was still happy for him.

At this time, Lilo was on the couch watching TV. Angel had left the house to visit Kixx for their lunch date together, leaving Lilo home alone and bored. After TV became a bore for her, Lilo switched it off. She looked out the window to see the clear blue sky hanging over the fresh green foliage. Deciding on exploring the island and maybe go swimming at the beach, Lilo got up and entered the kitchen. She took out a piece of notebook paper from the drawer along with a pencil. She neatly jot down her whereabouts so Angel wouldn't worry. She stuck the note on the fridge with a magnet stuck on to it to prevent it from falling to the floor.

Lilo cleaned up her tiny mess then exited the house completely. She went down on all fours and began to run. It had taken her some time to get used to running let alone, walking this way, but Angel was finally able to teach her. She still felt uncomfortable, but she wanted to get use to it. She scampered all around the island, careful not to bump into other experiments. Finally, she reached the place where she was buried. The old tree house. She ran up to her own grave, finding it so strange that she was standing over the grave of her previous body.

She bent down, wiggling her hand in the dirt. She gasped in surprise as she felt a sharp material under her hand. After digging a little bit of sand, she spotted a ring. The same ring Stitch had given her when he asked her to marry him. Well, at least pretend they were married. She gripped the ring and slid it onto her finger. It was dirty and tarnished a bit, but to her, she still loved it. She believed it was still the loveliest ring she ever saw.

Her ears perked when she heard a crinkling sound. She turned her head to see blue paws pushing aside the leaves of the bushes so she could pass through. Fearing it was an experiment, Lilo immediately climbed up the ladder and hid herself from view behind the railing. She cautiously arose and peeked her head over the railing. She growled lowly at the sight of Arlene. That experiment had been her least favorite, but nonetheless, she was still family and Lilo still had a place in her heart for her.

Arlene was carrying a small yellow blossom in her hand. Her face appeared to be troubled and upset. She squatted down to the ground, placing a hand over the small bump. Lilo stared at her inquisitively, wishing she could know what was going through the little experiment's mind. Arlene released a tiny tear.

"I'm so sorry for what I did." She whispered. "I never should've done what I did. I wish there was something that could turn back time, but there isn't and I'm stuck in this guilt. Every time Stitch even utters your name, I feel as though I'm being stabbed right in the gut. Sometimes I feel like dying right in front of him when he mentions about you. He really misses you, but I'm sure you know that. I hear him cry at night. Yes, he still cries. He isn't over you yet, but he's getting there. Every time I see him crying, that is when I want to go through a thousand deaths because I know he's thinking of you and it's my fault that you're not here. You gave me a chance at happiness and then I let you die so I can have all of Stitch's love. How heartless can I possibly get?"

Arlene swished the yellow blossom in her hand. A tear drop escaped from her eye and trailed down a petal of the blossom. "I heard that in your Hawaiian culture that if you wear the flower on the right side, it means you're looking for a guy and if you wear it on the left, it means you already have a boyfriend. If you wear it in the middle, it means you're taken, but you're looking for an upgrade." She laughed a little at that. "Anyway, I'm putting this flower on the left side of your grave. Even though Stitch is my buchee-bu, you are still his girl and deserve to wear this just as much as I do. So, goodbye and I'm sorry for what I did."

She buried the flower on the left side of her grave, bent down and kissed the dirt, then got up to leave. All the while, Lilo stood over the balcony, watching as Arlene turned to leave. She sighed as Arlene's back faded into the sea of green. Lilo clambered down the tree and jumped when she was only inches from hitting the ground. She took off back to Angel's house to see if Angel was back. However, she wasn't back. Lilo entered the house, grabbed the phone, and dialed her home number.

"Hello?" A woman's voice said through the receiver.

"Nani?" Lilo asked.

"Yes." Nani's voice replied. "Who's this?"

"It's Lilo. Is Stitch home?" Lilo asked.

"No, he isn't. He's with Arlene." Nani responded.

"Will it be alright if I came over? There's something I would like to share with you and the guys. I would tell Angel, but she's out with Kixx." Lilo replied.

"Yes, you can come. But, you better leave a note for Angel." Nani warned.

"I'll do that. Bye!" Lilo then hung up the phone and turned back to the kitchen. She ripped off the note on the fridge, opened the drawer, and fished for a pen. When she found one, she removed the cap and scribbled out the last note and wrote a new one at the bottom. This one said that she was going to be at her old house so if Angel needed her or wanted her for something, she would have to look for her at the Pelekai house.

Satisfied with the note, she placed it back on the fridge then exited the house once more. Lilo dashed to her house, using Angel's super speed power to get her there quicker. She didn't pause, but ran up the stairs and stood in front of the door. She knocked and it was immediately answered by a gleeful Pleakley.

"Lilo? What are you doing here?" Pleakley asked.

"I need to talk to you guys." Lilo replied.

Pleakley let her through then closed the door. Lilo's first destination was Hale, who played with his baby toys on the floor. He turned his head and his brown eyes lit at the sight of Lilo. She crouched down to his level and gave him a hug, even though he didn't return it.

"Can you say Lilo?" Lilo whispered into his baby ear.

"EE-Oh." He replied back, trying the name. "EE…lllla-oh."

"Leee-Looo" Lilo stretched out, hoping the boy would get it right.

Hale tried again, but once more failed. Becoming frustrated with the name, Hale pushed away from her and continued playing with his toys. Lilo left him alone with a kind smile and got up to find Nani in the kitchen. Nani turned to see her and walked up to her. Lilo's arms reached up outstretched as Nani bent down to hug her sister and kiss the top of her head.

After pulling Nani away from the kitchen and collecting both Jumba and Pleakley as well, the small family with three missing members sat on the couch. Lilo began explaining to them how she was at her own grave until Arlene came. She talked about how she overheard Arlene's little confession about her being sorry for what she did. The family, especially Nani, were angered at this news.

"Stitch is off dating the one who killed my sister." Nani scowled.

"Now I don't know Nani. There's still Hamsterviel." Lilo pointed out.

"Jumba is not being sure. Never have spotted Hamsterviel. Not even 626 or 158 can be getting scent. Only happens if they're too far away and their scent is powerful for miles." Jumba replied.

"So maybe he killed me then retreated?" Lilo suggested. She didn't want Arlene to get in trouble. She was Stitch's only happiness and she wanted her there for him.

"Is not sounding like something Hamsterviel would do. Hamsterviel would be wanting revenge on whole family, not just Little Girl." Jumba said.

"Well, you never know with Hamsterviel." Lilo replied.

"I say we dehydrate Arlene back into her pod!" Nani declared.

"Nani! Stitch is happy with her!" Lilo whined.

"And he'll be even more happier when he's back with you." Nani replied.

"You can't just take her away when you don't know! You have no evidence to back it up. "Lilo yelled. "If you have enough evidence, then you can… whatever. But now, let Stitch be with her."

Before the family could say anything, there came a knock at the door. Lilo went to answer it, but her sister took more quicker strides. Lilo decided to let Nani get the door and crouched down to play with Hale. Nani opened the door then quickly slammed it. Lilo turned to look at her with a befuddled expression.

"It's Stitch." Nani responded.

Lilo's eyes widened. Without a second thought, she dashed for the dome. Once the lift carried her to the main room, Nani calmly opened the door to reveal Stitch with a confused face. "Why did you slam the door in my face?"

"Sorry." Nani quickly apologized and allowed Stitch to slip inside.

Lilo didn't count the minutes ticking by, but judging from the changing of the sky, she could see it had been hours. To stay on the safe side, she waited until someone came up the dome to tell her it was alright to come down. However, no one came and she was beginning to wonder if this was the time to make her exit.

She turned to the window, sliding it upward. She was about to step her foot over the sill until she heard a humming. Without another thought, she cowered under the cot. Though it didn't give her much concealing, it was too late to change hiding places when Stitch came up. Lilo's heart began pounding at the sight of her previous lover.

To her, he still looked the same. With beautiful ocean blue fur and that fluffy, but strong body she had fallen head over heels for. He turned to look in her direction, but was thankful that he didn't look down. She covered her mouth to silence a gasp. His eyes were the only physical difference in him. Before, they shined with love, kindness, and most of all, happiness. Now, they didn't have that sparkle. His eyes were of sadness and his black holes seemed more so as empty voids rather than eyes. It stabbed her heart to see him this upset.

He flopped down on the bed he and Lilo used to share together. He reached over the stuffed doll that Lilo remembered as Scrump. He played with her, caressing the doll's green material. He brought the doll to his chest and began to weep. Lilo couldn't contain her urge to gasp at him. Never had she ever seen Stitch cry. Sure he shed some tears when they were younger over little things, but never seen him weep. He only cried if he was really troubled about something. The only time she had ever seen or heard him sobbing, was two nights after she first met him. He never cried when Angel was captured, he didn't cry when they broke up, just never. Until now. It made Lilo wonder if Arlene really was making him happy.

"I still miss you buchee-bu." Stitch spoke between sobs. His tears glistening in the moonlight as they trailed down his cheeks and landed inside his floppy ears. "I love you."

_I love you too. _Lilo thought as Stitch's ear piercing sobs gradually calmed until he was sniffling. Finally, he went to sleep. Lilo crawled out from her hiding spot and approached Stitch.

She stared down at the eyes of her grieving angel. She was unaware of her hand slowly reaching upward until it rested on his dampened cheek. Tears began welling in her eyes as she lowered her lips to his forehead. Thankfully, he was a heavy sleeper and can not feel her kiss. Her lips lingered on his forehead, wishing she could lower them on his lips. She removed her mouth to gaze down at his perfect pair of lips. She would give anything to be able to kiss him once more. She felt the urge to do it and almost did until he stirred. Fearing he was awakening, she turned and exited the dome.

She parted her family with a brief goodbye and exited the house. When she arrived at Angel's, she noticed she was asleep on the couch with a certain guest, Kixx. Lilo's heart broke at the sight. Not because of Kixx, far from that, but because Angel could be with her lover. She didn't have to hide from him. It killed her that Stitch was with Arlene and she was alone. Not alone as in without a family, but alone as though she had nobody she could love and who would love her back. She was without romantic love and she hated it.

Angel moaned and shifted under Kixx's arm. Her eyes opened to see Kixx's peaceful, smiling face looking back at her. They leaned forward to kiss, unaware that it was breaking a poor girl's heart as she stood in front of them. Angel heard a whimper from behind her and turned her head to see Lilo. She gasped and leapt from the couch.

"Lilo! I didn't know you were there! I'm sorry." Angel apologized, knowing it must've hurt Lilo to watch her friend kissing her lover, something Lilo probably would never get to do ever again.

"Don't be sorry, it's alright." Lilo replied.

"Lilo?" Kixx asked groggily from behind.

Angel sighed. "This is Kixx Lilo. Jumba managed to bring her back using a dab of my blood. It turned her into experiment though."

"Hi Kixx." Lilo greeted, meekly lifting her hand to wave.

Kixx raised his own hand to wave, his eyes glazed with surprise. Finally, the shock got to him and he fell over. Angel rushed to his side to see that he had passed out from the shock. Angel giggled then lifted Kixx back onto the couch.

"Want something to eat?" Angel asked.

Lilo shook her head. "Not right now. I saw Arlene today."

Angel looked at her curiously. "You didn't?"

"No! Not in person. You see, I was at my burial place when I heard her coming. I ran up the tree house and watched as she laid a blossom on my left. She said she was sorry for what she did." Lilo blurted.

"I always had a feeling it was her." Angel growled.

"Now Angel, we don't know for certain. It may be Hamsterviel." Lilo replied.

"Then how come we haven't seen a sight of him. Not even Stitch nor Finder can get his scent. Something just doesn't seem right with Arlene Lilo." Angel explained.

Lilo didn't respond to that, but went ahead and changed the subject. "I am starting to feel hungry. Can I have a piece of that shepherd pie?"

Angel nodded and the two girls disappeared into the kitchen for dinner.


	13. Chapter 13

Lilo stood in front of her baby nephew. Nani was holding his tiny hands as he positioned himself on his two feet for the first time. Lilo had her arms outstretched as Nani walked Hale to Lilo. The little boy lifted one leg, then before bringing it back down, swung the other upward. This error would've caused him to collapse if his mother didn't had his hands. Angel, David, Jumba, and Pleakley were watching the cute scene.

Lilo took a step forward as Nani walked another step. Hale's huge grin became clear in view in front of Lilo. She took another step forward and her nephew collapsed into her. Lilo held him in a tight embrace, kissing his head. Nani folded her arms and smiled at the love her sister displayed for her nephew. David came up from behind her, wrapping his muscular arms around her waist.

Lilo hugged her nephew until she felt his tiny fists shove her in the chest. She knew that was his way of saying 'let go.' Lilo removed her arms from around Hale's back and gave him a little nudge off her lap. She watched him as he played with his stuffed dog, bashing it against his toy car. Lilo went to the couch to sit with her little family.

"So, how has Stitch been doing?" Lilo asked.

"Hardly ever see him. He's always with Arlene." Pleakley responded.

Lilo's face lowered to hide her tears. "That's good." Angel noticed her friend's downcast mood and grew slightly concerned. However, she didn't have long to ask a question for Lilo beat her. "I'm going to go walk around."

Everyone, except for Hale who continued playing with his baby toys, watched as Lilo dejected and alone without love exited the house. Nani went to follow her, but David pulled her back, saying that she would need some time alone. Nani reluctantly agreed and turned back to playing with her son, promising that she would go find Lilo. Angel, Jumba, and Pleakley exchanged a sad look, but also knew they should leave Lilo alone.

Lilo walked out into the night, wrapping her arms around her body to warm herself. She gazed up at the countless of stars that dotted the black sky, remembering how she and Stitch used to try to count them when they were little kids. She smiled fondly at the memory, but that smile was instantly followed by a tear. She had wanted Stitch to be happy if anything ever happened to her and she was happy for him that he was, but it hurt her to visualize him with someone else.

She didn't know where to go, so she just continued walking aimlessly. Each step she took brought back so many memories. It was so hard for her to believe that she was dead in his eyes. He can't see her and she may never see him. She was dead to him, and he was gone to her. They had loved each other so much, so why did love fail them? By the end of her walk down memory lane, Lilo gave into the pressuring sadness.

She collapsed on her knees and began to sob. At first, they started out as tears trickling down her eyes. Soon though, her eyes were watery and tears were pouring down like rain from a cloud. They kept trailing down her cheeks as she cried under the moonlight. A sharp pang stabbed at her chest. The pain caused her to gasp. The pain only multiplied the more she thought of Stitch and everything they had together. She knew it was the pain of her heart breaking.

"Lilo?" A gentle, womanly voice came from behind her.

Lilo, startled, gasped and turned in surprise. She smiled and immediately wiped away her tears with her claws. "Nani?"

"Are you alright?" Nani asked worriedly then noticed her cheeks glistening from the moon's light reflecting on her tear stricken face. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry."

"I told him I wanted him to move on if anything ever happened to me. He did what I asked him to, but why do I feel so… upset?" Lilo asked.

"You just miss him. You're going through the same sadness he went through when he lost you." Nani replied.

"Angel told me of his reaction when he saw me dead, but all she told me was that he was insane." Lilo responded.

"He did go insane." Nani nodded.

"What did he do though?" Lilo asked.

Nani went to sit beside her little sister. She sat down Indian style then threw her arm around Lilo's shoulders. Lilo listened to her sister while plucking at the grass as though it were the only thing that was interesting to her. "Well, he cried, he screamed, he put blames on us. He blamed Jumba for not watching over you like a hawk. He blamed Pleakley for not staying. He even blamed David for getting me pregnant and making me have certain cravings. Then he blamed himself for failing to protect you."

Lilo sighed. "Sure does sound like something Stitch would do."

"At the funeral, he didn't even say a word. He was… like in his own little box." As Nani said this, Lilo lost her attraction to pick at the grass and looked up to give her sister her complete attention in curiosity. " You know like when people want to be alone, they don't want to speak to others. Well, that's kind of what he did. He didn't speak and he didn't listen to Slick either. His attention was on you. When we went to bury you, he ran home. Bud said he was crying heavily."

Lilo lowered her head. "Did he stay healthy?"

Nani shook her head. "No. He would not eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner except for small bites. All he kept drinking was coffee. Lilo, he was in real bad shape. I actually thought we would have to set up a funeral for him too."

"Then I'm happy Arlene prevented that. I know what death is like." Lilo shuddered at the thought.

"What is it like?" Nani asked.

"Scary." Lilo chuckled. "I don't really know how to describe it."

"Did you go to heaven?" Nani asked.

"I met Mom and Dad and I was with them for a while until they told me to go back. So, I listened to them and after a long battle, I made it!" Lilo replied.

Nani leaned over to kiss Lilo's head. "And I'm glad you're back. We really missed you."

Lilo smiled. "It's good to be back."

"It's cold, do you want to come back inside?" Nani asked as she stood, pointing her finger behind her shoulder.

Lilo shook her head. "No, I'm going home. I'm getting tired anyways. Tell Angel that!"

"I will. Goodnight." Nani replied before turning and disappearing into the darkness.

Lilo watched her go before turning back around to continue back to her home. She took the long way so she could pass by the ocean. Luckily, there was no one there, so she stood out alone. As she gazed at the calm blue waters, she remembered her old surfing days. She sighed as she watched the wave roll in and out, creating a peaceful crash on the rocks.

She slowly began walking up to the waters. Her feet dipped into the warm ocean and continued forth. She smiled as the water lapped to her chest. She situated herself on top of the water and began swimming. She was happy that Angel's body wasn't dense. She continued to swim until every part of her was wet. She took a deep breath and dived down, swimming deeper. Her eyes were opened to watch as the fishes passed her by. The small bright colors floated past her and allowed the darkness to swallow them up.

Her lungs stung for air and she immediately rose to the top. She swam back over to shore, falling onto her four paws and shaking herself as a dog would after receiving a bath. She stood back up to her normal height and continue her path to her house. She couldn't wait to swim tomorrow morning. She knew the times when people would fill in and there was absolutely no way people would get up at six o'clock in the morning for a swim in the ocean.

By the time she arrived back at Angel's house, her fur had only a few water drops dripping from her scarlet fur. She entered the house after shaking herself one last time. She threw herself on the couch, crossing her hands on her chest. Sleep began to dawn over her. She closed her eyes to succumb to the pressure, but didn't get to sleep long.

BUZZ!

_Argh! I must've locked Angel out. _Lilo groaned in her mind. She sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the couch. With her arms, she pushed herself up.

Without looking through the peep hole, she unlocked the door. Her hand reached for the cold knob. Her hand wrapped around it and pulled the door open. She blinked to look at the person, expecting to see Angel, but who she saw was entirely different. Lilo could feel her heart pounding in her chest and could feel her legs almost wobbling under her own weight. Her mouth opened stupidly in a surprised gasp.

There in front of her was an experiment. The experiment with ocean blue fur and black eyes she could drown herself into. Those black eyes that she compared to black holes sucking in her soul. Her eyes ran down the form of his body, feeling her heart beat quicker if that was at all possible. She looked back up into his face, fighting the urge to throw herself into his arms. He had been the one she was missing. The one who she needed to love her. The one missing in her life. It was him, right at her doorstep, and all she could do, was just freeze.

Stitch peered at the experiment inquisitively. He turned his eyes away from the red experiment to the address number on the house. Finding the numbers to be correct and in the right order, he turned back to the experiment. His eyes looked over her profile. She was a beautiful, no, gorgeous experiment. She resembled to Angel in every way except for the ruby fur. He stared into her eyes which were as his own, but with a small brown pupil. He felt his heart skip a beat at those brown pupils for they reminded him so much of someone who was in the past. He shook his head briefly and started thinking about the experiment. He racked his brain to figure out if this was an experiment from the past. Having no remembrance of her, he spoke to her in his native language.

"Gucha! Meega Stitch! New cousin eh? Gaba cousin?" Stitch asked.

Lilo tried to speak, but nothing came out except for a squeak. "Huh?"

Stitch tilted his head. "Cousin nota Turian?" The experiment slowly shook her head and that's when Stitch understood. "Cousin only know English?" Lilo nodded her head. "Oh! Sorry. Did not know."

"Okay." Lilo stuttered.

"What's your name?" Stitch asked.

_I don't have a name! _Lilo yelled in her mind. Before she could think of anything else, her mom's name barged into her mind. "Aliella!"

Stitch tilted his head to the side. That name sounded so familiar. He could've sworn he had heard that name. "Are you new?"

Lilo nodded her head. "Yes. Jumba created me to be.. Angel's… uh sister!"

Stitch looked away from her to process the information. It made sense. Angel had been telling him she felt alone living in her house. It would be logical she would ask Jumba for a sister. "Do you know where she's at right now?"

Lilo nodded. "Yeah. Pelekai home."

Stitch smiled. "Well, thanks Aliella. See you around!"

Lilo felt her heart's racing slowing as he turned to leave. Her chest rose up and down as he grew distant into the darkness. A part of her wanted to scream out to him while another part just told her to let him go. She went with the latter and watched as her lover vanished from her view. A tear trailed down her cheek as she closed the door and leaned against it.

She cried silently into her hands before lifting herself up to go back to sleep. She fell onto the couch, crying softly into her pillow. An hour later, Angel entered through the door since Lilo forgot to lock it. Lilo was still awake, but barely when Angel came in. Lilo decided she should tell Angel what happened between her and Stitch.

"Angel, there's something I need to tell you." Lilo replied meekly.

"I already know… Aliella." Angel smirked. "Stitch came and asked me about my sister."

Lilo laughed. "You're not mad are you?"

"No, I'm proud that you think of me as a sister. It's Nani who's jealous." Angel responded.

Lilo laughed. "She'll get over it."

"So how was it talking to Stitch again?" Asked Angel.

Lilo sighed. "I could barely speak to him. All I kept saying was all yes's and short answers. Oh Angel, I miss him so much."

Angel walked over to Lilo and wrapped her into a hug. "I know. I'm sorry. I wish there was something we could do."

"Angel, I don't care if I get hurt. I want to be a part in Stitch's life. I want to be with him and go under the identity of Aliella." Lilo stated firmly.

"Lilo, do you have any idea how much that will hurt? And what if it gets out?" Angel asked.

Lilo shook her head. "I wouldn't care. I just want to be with Stitch. If not his lover, then at least his friend. Please Angel, I want a part in his life."

Angel sighed. "I guess I can't keep you locked away forever. Fine, you can be with him. Just, try not scaring him away."

Lilo laughed. "He's just going to know me as Aliella. Not Lilo and not his ex-girlfriend. Just Angel's sister, Aliella."

Angel nodded and without further conversation, they hugged each other goodnight and retreated to their beds. Lilo laid down on the couch wondering how her life was going to change now that she was back in Stitch's life. She wondered if a romance would begin developing between them once more, but Lilo didn't get her hopes too high.

She fell into a contented sleep, hoping tomorrow would be a start to a new friendship with Stitch.

Note: I'm still having some problems with this story. So far I have fifteen chapters and just started on the sixteenth. The best length I have is six pages according to Word. I know what I'm going to do with the story, but it's so hard to get it all down. Please, try to be patient as I try to push this story along smoothly. If there's anything I need to improve on (besides chapter length) do not hesitate to tell me. Just please, don't be rude.


	14. Chapter 14

As Arlene slept beside him, Stitch gently removed his arms around her and hers off him as well. He stood and left for the kitchen. There, he had a couple mugs of coffee. He looked at the time, which read 6:50. He decided to see Lilo's grave while Arlene sleeps then search for Hamsterviel. The search was really becoming increasingly harder for both Stitch and Finder. They had asked other experiments as well, even to other humans, but they said they had never seen a white rodent with a red cape and a bad attitude.

He soaked the empty mug in water and used the green rag to wash it clean with soap of course before setting it down on the other side for it to dry. He turned to leave the kitchen and headed for the front door. He stopped and gazed briefly at the sleeping Arlene dreaming on the couch. She was very pretty and he had discovered a much more caring side to her, but still, Lilo was on his mind day and night. Daytime he daydreams about her return and at night, he dreams of her back into his arms where she belonged.

Though it may have been months since that night, it was still hard for him to believe she was never coming back. His eyes shined with the need to cry. He quickly exited the house and continued on his way. He settled on taking a quick trip to the beach before going over to her grave. With this thought, he turned for the beach. It was too early, so there weren't any tourists laying out in the sun.

There was however, one lone experiment standing in front of the seashores. Stitch tilted his head, for the experiment looked so lonely. Her long ears folded on her back and her head hung. The cold breeze caused her antennas to sway, but she paid no mind to it. Stitch cautiously walked up to her. The closer he got, the more she seemed familiar. Finally, he remembered the event last night when he met the new experiment at Angel's house.

"Aliella?" He whispered.

The scarlet experiment jumped in shock at his voice. She turned her head and indeed, it was Aliella, AKA Lilo. "Oh! Stitch, you scared me."

"Sorry." Stitch chuckled. "Do you always come here in the morning?"

"No. I just like the ocean." Lilo responded.

Stitch nodded as he felt something twist his heart. Lilo loved the ocean too. Whenever the ocean had so much junk in it from careless people, she would make it her duty to help clean the water with him. She especially cared for the creatures living in the sea, mostly Pudge, her weather forecaster.

He gave a small smile, but as that smile appeared, so did a tear. Lilo noticed the tiny droplet and reached over to wipe it away. It had always been a habit for her when she was alive to dry any tears from Stitch's eyes. Stitch looked up at her as she removed her claw and stepped forward. Stitch was shocked as she threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly.

Stitch figured this experiment was overly friendly. Not wanting to hurt the sweet girl's feelings, he returned the embrace. After a minute, Lilo pulled away to look at him. Her arms hung loosely on his shoulders. Stitch smiled at her, but her eyes kept him from turning away from her. He didn't understand how this experiment's eyes resembled so much to Lilo. His mind blanked out and he was visualizing her. With her honey brown eyes sparkling with glee and her mouth opened in a childish laugh that was beautiful music to his ears.

Lilo could feel her cheeks warming the longer she stood in his arms. She cautiously took a step backward, breaking any connections between the two. Stitch's cheeks began to blush, but thankfully, his fur was too dark, so she couldn't see it. Lilo hung her head in embarrassment, hoping he wouldn't interrogate her on the sudden hug.

"Thanks. I needed that." Stitch replied.

Lilo slowly lifted her head and smiled. "Welcome."

Stitch sighed. "I should go back."

As he turned to leave, Lilo's desire for him to be near her overcame her senses telling her to let him go. "Wait!"

Stitch swiveled on his feet to look at her. "Yeah?"

Lilo stood there in silence. Finally she asked. "Do you want to have breakfast with me?"

Stitch shook his head. "No, I should head back to my girlfriend."

As he stepped away from her, he was pulled back quickly by the red experiment. He looked at her in the eye, preparing to tell her to let him go. However, her chocolate pupils prevented him from saying anything. Her eyes stared pleadingly into his, the same way Lilo had beseeched for him to not do anything that would upset her. "Please? I'm trying to befriend the experiments and I like to start off with you."

This time, Stitch couldn't say no. He nodded his head, albeit, reluctantly. Lilo's eyes brightened and once again, his stomach churned. She had that sparkle of happiness in her eyes, similar to the way Lilo's eyes would twinkle when she was pleased about something. He inhaled a breath as they began walking. He was much farther ahead of her since his whirling thoughts absorbed his attention. Lilo ran up to catch up with him and out of habit, slipped her hand through his. Stitch felt her hand wrapping around his. He looked down and for some reason, he actually liked the feeling of her hand around his. Her grip not too tight and possessive, but also not too loose. She intertwined her fingers through his and with her thumb claw, massaged his hand. Stitch remembered it as Lilo's way of showing him she was right there. Every time he felt troubled, this was the exact way she would tell him she was here for him.

_Why is she so much like Lilo? _Stitch asked himself. _Her eyes, her consoling methods, even her fur color is Lilo's favorite red. _

They talked quietly among themselves as they strolled together. Soon, their calm chatting converted into loud laughter. They were laughing even as Lilo unlocked the door with the key she brought with her. She opened the door and she and Stitch entered the house.

"So? Anything special you like to eat?" Lilo asked as she started for the kitchen.

Stitch shook his head. "I'm not really hungry."

"You've ate?" Lilo asked.

Stitch shook his head. "Only had two mugs of coffee."

"That's not food Stitch." Lilo chided jokingly with a small smile.

Stitch shook his head. "I'm just… not hungry in the mornings."

"Is there something wrong?" Lilo asked.

Stitch once again shook his head. "No. I just don't want to eat!" Lilo flinched, as though he struck her. Stitch realized his mistake and felt the guilt jabbing at his heart. "I'm sorry. I haven't been the same since…"

"Since what?" Lilo questioned caringly.

Stitch bowed his head. "Never mind."

Lilo walked over to him and brought her hand underneath his chin. She slowly raised his eyes to hers. Stitch didn't struggle as his dark eyes locked onto her sweet chocolate brown pupils. He could hear the drumming in his chest as those eyes seemed to melt him. She moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. Stitch was oblivious to the feel of her arms though, he was lost in a trance, as though she were hypnotizing him. She was looking at him the exact way Lilo had when they were about to share their first kiss.

Lilo gazed into his black seas. She could feel the tingling in her breast that she had become accustomed to whenever they were about to lean in and kiss. Unaware that her arms, which had been at her sides, rose upward and draped over his shoulders. Her hands touched at the base of his neck. Her lips parted slightly as his eyes gradually moved closer. Her eyes fluttered shut as he began to close the tiny space between them.

They jumped out of each other's arms when they heard a slight humming. The humming was cut off by a gasp of surprise. Lilo and Stitch guiltily turned their heads to see Angel with her eyes wide in astonishment. Stitch shyly stepped away from the red experiment and tried to smile at Angel.

"Aloha Angel!" Stitch replied weakly.

"Morning Stitch." Angel grinned.

Stitch licked his drying lips nervously. "I should get back to Arlene. Bye Aliella, bye Angel!"

Lilo didn't say anything, but watched as he walked out the front door. Lilo was still breathless from the fact she almost kissed Stitch. In fact, there was no doubt they would have kissed if Angel hadn't startled them. Angel waited until the door was shut before looking at Lilo. "Alright, what did you do to him?"

Lilo didn't respond. Her heart was beating fervently in her chest as though it were going to bust. She swiveled on her heels and disappeared in the hallway to Angel's room for privacy. Angel listened to the sound of her door closing before turning to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her and Lilo.

Stitch meanwhile, was mentally chastising himself for what he could've done with Aliella. He didn't understand what was happening to him. She had sparked something inside of him that only Lilo had managed. The feeling wasn't stronger nor was it paler, just the same, as though it were Lilo herself touching his soul for the first time since he lost Angel's love to Kixx.

He was so engrossed in Aliella's resemblance to Lilo that he didn't know he had arrived at Arlene's house. Still in his thoughts, he ran up to her front door. Using his claw, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. His thoughts about Aliella discontinued as he threw himself on the couch in front of the TV. He flipped it on to the channel he enjoyed watching and kept it on the channel. Even though his eyes were focused on the TV, his thoughts roamed elsewhere. He was thinking of Lilo and Aliella.

Upstairs, Stitch was oblivious to a conversation in Arlene's bedroom. Arlene stood in front of Bud who reclined on her small bed. His arms crossed behind his head as he leaned into the headboard comfortably. Arlene's ears folded on the top of her spine and her pacific blue eyes gazed at the wooden floor.

"He's so upset." Arlene sniffed. "He talks about her in his dreams. I hear him at night. I see the tear streaks on his face in the morning."

"So what?" Bud intervened. " Of course he's going to be like this. He loved her for some reason. Don't you dare feel guilty Arlene. I don't."

Arlene lifted her head in shock. "How can you not? You're the one-"

"Don't you tell me what I did!" Bud yelled, causing Arlene to flinch. She never liked Bud mad. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DID-"

"Shut up!" Arlene screamed at him. Her vision misted by the oncoming tears pricking at her eyes. She buried her face in her hands and lifted it back up to yell some more. "Just shut up! Don't tell me what I did alright? I know what I did! And I also know that I have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life!"

Bud's defensive shields fell around him as he saw a tear trail down Arlene's cheek. He jumped off the bed and approached her calmly. "Arlene, I-"

"Just leave." Came Arlene's distressed response.

"Listen-" Bud pleaded, but silenced as Arlene shook her head. Wordlessly, she pointed her claw at the door. Bud felt his heart beginning to break at her rushing him out so soon.

He turned to leave, his shoulders slouched over. Arlene closed the door after him, flopping down face first into her bed as she heard his footsteps growing quieter.

Downstairs, Stitch spotted Bud climbing down the stairs with a defeated posture. This was not the way he used to see his friend. Bud was always so carefree. Even if the world came to an end, he probably would only shrug and walk away. That was how so blithe Bud tended to be. Now, he looked unusually troubled.

"Bud?" Stitch asked as he walked up to his friend. "What's wrong?"

Bud shook his head and without words, exited the house. Stitch looked up to see Arlene gloomily trailing down the stairs. Stitch walked up to her and she threw herself into his arms. Stitch grasped her waist to return the hug and kissed her neck lightly. Arlene cried on his shoulder and he stood there comforting her, figuring that she and Bud had gotten into a fight and he only affronted her.

However, Arlene knew the cause of her tears. She wasn't crying over the fight she had with Bud as Stitch believed. She was crying because the guilt was like termites feasting on wood. She knew now how the wood felt when a thousand termites dine on it. For she was feeling the same way. The guilt spread through her entire body and it hurt.

She pulled away to look into Stitch's eyes and felt her heart plummeting. She was the reason why his family is broken once again and yet, she was fearful to tell him. Fear for her life and fear for losing the one thing that she had dreamed of having since she first laid her eyes on him.


	15. Chapter 15

_Stitch looked out at the blue seas expanding over hundreds of miles. The breeze whooshed past him, creating a trail of sand as it passed. His ears perked at the sound of old sandals shuffling through the soft gravel. He turned his head to see Lilo. Not a ghostly Lilo with wings or a halo, and a not a specter either, but Lilo. The girl with a tangible body that glowed beautifully in the sun._

_Lilo walked up to him with a smile on her face. Stitch held out his arms as she entered. He held her close, feeling her warmth emanating from her body. Her arms wrapped around his neck, nuzzling her face into his fur. Time seemed to freeze just like that for the both of them. Two lovers mercilessly ripped apart, but can only reunite for only a minute in a dream before they have to say goodbye again. Stitch tightened his grip around her, refusing to let her go. He didn't want to wake in the real world, because in the real world, his Lilo was dead._

"_I've missed you." Stitch said sadly._

_Lilo caressed his ears. "You won't miss me for long though." She replied with an uplifting grin._

_Stitch pulled away to look at her. "What do you mean?"_

"_I'm with you." She whispered to him._

"_In my heart, I know." Stitch replied forlornly._

_Lilo giggled. "No silly. I am with you. You just… don't see me."_

"_Lilo, please." Stitch begged, though didn't know what for._

"_Stitch, I am alive. You'll just have to find me." _

_Those were the last words she spoke before her figure began blurring. Stitch held her tighter, but she seemed faint. He tried to hold her, but then, the world blackened. The minute of paradise was up._

Stitch bolted from the sheets tangled in his limbs. He buried his face in his hands as he rubbed his eyes. He removed his hands and blinked twice for his vision to focus. Once his bearings cleared, he realized he was not at Arlene's home nor at his house, but Angel's house. He heard someone inhale a drag of breath from beside him and he turned his head to see a red ball of fur.

"Aliella?" Stitch asked in a whisper.

At the name of her mother, Lilo's eyes widened. The first thing she saw was Stitch, who stared at her with a mystified expression. Then it clicked into her mind that she was under the identity as Aliella, Angel's make believe sister and that Lilo Pelekai was dead to Stitch and the other experiments with the exception of two; Dupe and Angel of course. She raised herself with the help from the strength in her arms. Stitch stared at her in wonder, pondering why he was at Angel's house with Aliella being the first person he sees.

"What happened last night?" Stitch asked.

Lilo thought back to last night, remembering that he came over to see Angel for a reason that she couldn't recall. Angel stayed over with Kixx at his house and Lilo, not wanting to be alone, urged Stitch to stay with her and they watched a movie together. She vaguely remembered him falling asleep on the floor and she retreated to grab a blanket to toss over him. She came back to finish watching the rest of the movie while sneaking glances at her sleeping angel and fell asleep just before the credits displayed on the screen.

"We just fell asleep while watching the movie." Lilo replied casually. "Don't worry, nothing happened."

Stitch thought her voice sounded slightly cold, as though she was insulted by his question. He shrugged his shoulders and followed her into the kitchen. Stitch watched her as she ambled around in the kitchen, slamming bowls on the table and angrily dumping a load of cereal into the bowl.

"Aliella!" Stitch yelled as the bowl began to overflow. He ran up to her to catch her arms and out of surprise, she dropped the box, spilling the contents all over the kitchen.

Lilo growled. "Angel's going to be mad."

"Not as mad as you are right now. What's wrong?" Stitch asked.

Lilo shook her head. "Nothing alright? Now help me clean this mess."

Stitch turned her slowly to face him, cupping her cheeks with his hands. His extra arms quickly attached around her waist and brought her close to him. A lump formed in Lilo's throat. She remembered how Stitch use to hold her this way. Whenever she was upset, this was the exact way he would hold her. He would force her eyes to lock onto his and each time he did that, she was defeated by his caring eyes.

Stitch looked into her eyes, remembering this was the precise way he would embrace Lilo when she was losing her temper. He could still remember how her cheeks flushed a crimson red from rage and when he turns her to stare into his eyes, he could still describe how her red face gradually returned to her natural tan tone and her angry face softened. Then she would either clutch onto him and bawl into his chest or lean forward for a kiss. As Stitch stared at Aliella, he realized her cheeks were just as rosy as Lilo's and her face had softened.

"What's wrong Aliella?" Stitch interrogated.

Lilo could feel her eyes beginning to tear. Stitch realized this and released her cheeks. He brought all four of his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Lilo clutched onto his shoulders, dampening his ocean blue fur with her tears. "I'm just so frustrated. I just got mad about something and took it out on you, I'm so sorry." She cried.

Stitch rubbed her back, comforting her with his caress. "Why are you frustrated?"

Lilo pulled away, staring into his black orbs. "You wouldn't understand. Just forget it."

"I want to help a friend." Stitch persisted.

Lilo shook her head. "No, Stitch please. This is something I need to deal with on my own. I'm fine."

"You sure?" Stitch asked.

Lilo nodded. "Yes, now would you like some breakfast?"

She didn't wait for him to answer, because she knew that his answer would be a negative. She escaped from his sweet embrace and bustled around in the kitchen. Stitch sat down at the table, watching her calmly prepare their bowls of cereal. She placed a bowl filled to the rim with Cocoa Pebbles, Stitch's favorite bowl. He looked to see Lilo's bowl filled with Yummy Mummy Choco Balls. That had been Lilo's favorite cereal for a long time.

Lilo took a bite of her desired cereal, cooing in satisfaction. She cranked her head at Stitch, smiling at him. She noticed he hadn't even lifted his spoon and questioned this. "Are you going to eat?" He continued staring at her, as though he were lost in thought. "Hello? You still there?" She chuckled. "What is it?"

"You remind me of someone." Stitch whispered, causing Lilo to feel a jolt of panic. "Only Lilo knew what kind of cereal I like, and she always loved Yummy Mummy Choco Balls."

Lilo shifted awkwardly in her seat, a habit she adopted when she felt someone had suspicions about her. "Lilo? Who's Lilo?"

Stitch rapidly shook his head. 'I am with you. You just… don't see me.' Lilo's words from his dream came to mind. Could Aliella be the one she was referring to? _No, it's impossible. She couldn't have meant that. If she was Lilo, she would tell me and she and I would be together again. It can't be Lilo._

"Lilo was… my girlfriend." Stitch responded sadly.

"Why do you look sad?" Lilo questioned, knowing why, but not wanting to look irregular in front of him.

"Someone killed her." Stitch replied angrily. "Hamsterviel I think." Stitch forced down his tears, but couldn't help to let one tear leak from his eye. "I loved her so much. I still do."

Lilo felt her heart sink as Stitch clenched his fists and inhaled deeply to keep his emotions from taking over. She could see he wanted to cry, but not in front of her. It was a rare occasion to see the famous 626 cry, especially over a girl. Lilo didn't like watching him forcing down his tears and leaned into him. Stitch eyed her as she leaned into his arms, hugging him forcibly.

"I'm here." She whispered to him.

Stitch nodded against her head. " I know that. I have a bunch of friends, I have my family, and I have my girlfriend. I just wish I have her."

"Oh Stitch." She murmured in his shoulder and tears shed from her eyes. "I am here. I just wish you can notice me." She sighed in a very faint voice that Stitch couldn't decipher what she said. Lilo remembered how upset she felt when she discovered the death of her beloved parents. Stitch had get her to talk to him about them to help her move on. Though it didn't patch up the hole in her heart, she had felt that a great burden had been lifted off her chest by Stitch's hands. She figured that Stitch should try to talk to her about his lost love no matter how awkward it may seem. "Can you tell me about her?"

Without any more questions, Stitch spilled his feelings to the experiment he still held in his arms. He explained to her that he hadn't always been so caring, but that he had been a very destructive monster who cared for only himself, and no one else. He explained how the first day he met Lilo he used her as a shield to protect himself from Jumba and Pleakley. Lilo learned how she melted the ice shields surrounding his heart and made him love her. Both of them were in tears when he finished off the story about their last adventure with the Leroy battle.

"Tell me Stitch," Lilo began as she wiped her eyes. "Are you truly happy with Arlene?"

Stitch was about to respond until something clicked into his mind. _How does she know about Arlene? _"How do you know about her?"

Lilo realized her blunder, but it was too late. His confused expression almost made her perspire in edginess. She desperately tried to recall back when he said Arlene's name. Finally, she remembered it was when he was over at Angel's house until Angel came in and he said he should get back to Arlene after the close kiss. Lilo's fur tinged a rosy pink as she remembered how close her face was to his. "You told me her name before you left after we… almost kissed."

Stitch felt his face burning up too at the memory. "Yeah, sorry about that. Don't know what happened."

Lilo nodded. "I understand. It happens." She replied with a shrug.

Stitch smiled at her and felt the urge once more to lean in closer. "You're so much like her." Stitch whispered. "She loved the ocean too. She would always volunteer to clean out the ocean and take care of the marine animals. Her favorite color was red and your eyes… they're brown, like hers. In fact, your eyes are the very same brown as hers."

"R-Really?" Lilo asked in a choked voice. "What a coincidence huh?" She chuckled, but Stitch continuously stared at her.

Before anything more could be said, someone rapped at the door. Stitch stood to answer it. Lilo turned her face away in embarrassment, concealing her blushing. She heard the door creak open and two male voices chatting to each other at the door.

"Finder? What are you doing here?" Stitch asked.

Lilo's ears perked up at the name Finder, it has been a long time since she's seen him and all the experiments in fact. She slid from the couch and walked up from behind Stitch.

"Finder found Hamsterviel! Finder found Hamsterviel!" Finder exclaimed, clapping his hands together in excitement. "Finder not malfunctioning!"

Lilo held her breath as her heart pounded faster. She heard Hamsterviel has been found, so does this mean Stitch could get rid of the gerbil and she can finally be with him? Eager to listen to more, she leaned in closer. Still, Stitch obstructed her view of Finder standing there in the doorway.

"Finder, where is Hamsterviel?" Stitch asked.

"Hamsterviel… dead." Finder replied.

Stitch blinked in confusion. "Dead?"

"Ship crashed. Didn't make it." Finder responded.

_So that's why we couldn't track him. His scent changed when he died. _"We have to tell Jumba!"

"Ih!" Finder agreed eagerly. As Stitch moved, Finder glimpsed at the red experiment standing behind them. "Ooh, cousin found buchee-bu!"

"Naga!" Stitch cried. "Aliella achie-baba! Arlene buchee-bu!"

Lilo felt the tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. She may not understand Turian fluently, but she knew bits and pieces of it. Stitch's statement she understood completely. She was only a friend to him and Arlene was his girlfriend. She felt a pang pierce through her heart as a dagger would through silk.

"Cousin… naga love Lilo… no more?" Finder asked albeit reluctantly.

Stitch scowled. "Meega still love Lilo! Always had always will! Arlene may have the title as mockcheeka buchee-bu, but naga heart! Lilo has it still."

Lilo ran up from behind him and threw her arms around his neck. Stitch turned to look at her in bewilderment. Lilo stared up at him with pure adoration, forgetting for a moment she was only known as Aliella to Stitch. But when that moment was over, she realized her slip up and tried covering it up. "That was just so sweet. Now I know you love her. No doubt about that. Sorry, I'm a sucker at romances."

Stitch chuckled. "You truly are Angel's sister."

Finder pointed to her. "Shoga cousin?"

Stitch nodded. "Ih. Shoga Aliella."

"Meega Finder!" Finder greeted, bowing to the lady's presence.

"Nice to meet you." Lilo giggled, she always gets enjoyment seeing experiments acting humble in a girl's company.

Stitch pointed his claw out the door. "Jumba?" He reminded them.

Finder nodded. "Ih!"

"Coming Aliella?" Stitch asked.

Lilo nodded. "Sure I'll come."

With that, the three began the short journey to the Pelekai house.

Note: Okay well, this will be the last chapter you will get from me. I'm leaving tomorrow to Washington D.C. and won't be back until Friday. I'll try updating chapter 16 on Friday, but Saturday is for sure. Bye!


	16. Chapter 16

"Jumba!" Stitch cried as he, Finder, and Lilo ran up from behind Jumba inside the ship.

Jumba almost dropped a vile filled to the rim with a venomous potion. Luckily, he tightened his grip around it at the sudden yell and placed it back gingerly in its holster. He swiveled to face the three experiments. At the red one with the identity he knew as Lilo Pelekai, he raised an eyebrow in interest. Lilo shifted uncomfortably, realizing he didn't know of Lilo and Stitch seeing each other.

"What is it that you three are to be wanting?" He asked in his thick Russian accent.

"Hamsterviel dead! Finder found him!" Finder replied excitedly. "Hasmterviel ship go Kablooey! Hamsterviel naga had chance to kill."

Jumba appeared deep in thought. "So Hamsterviel did not hurt Little Girl. Hmm." Then he remembered what Lilo had said about Arlene. He looked at the red experiment. "She said something about Arlene."

Stitch turned his head to Lilo questionably. "How do you know Arlene?"

Lilo glared at Jumba briefly then looked back at Stitch. "I didn't know it was Arlene. I was just exploring the island and I saw a female blue experiment apologizing to the ground, which I'm beginning to think is a grave where you buried Lilo."

"Uh, red experiment described her to Jumba. Fits description of Arlene." Jumba quickly explained.

Lilo nodded to confirm it. Stitch saw her nod then thought back. "So Arlene is a suspect."

"I'm sorry Stitch." Lilo replied, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I'm just saying what I saw."

Stitch sighed. "I might be dating my girlfriend's killer." He replied with an empty chuckle.

Stitch thought back to when Arlene seemed relieved Lilo was out of the picture, even though she tried to conceal it by wearing a sympathizing mask. He remembered her suddenly racing down the stairs and throwing herself in his arms where she drenched his shoulder with her tears. Though he pretended it didn't bother him, it made him wonder why she would be crying. Surely a simple fight with Bud couldn't have made her that upset. _I'll really have to watch her now._

Lilo noticed his saddened demeanor. She moved closer in to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and nestling her head in the crook of his neck. On reflex, Stitch brought his arms around her waist. Lilo stroked behind his ears, making Stitch remember the times Lilo would caress his ears to make his troubles melt away.

His mind began to drift from reality and he found himself thinking he was holding his Lilo in his arms. He bent down to kiss her until she moved away. Stitch watched her as she began to leave the ship, but hesitated and turned back around. She stared at him, calling his name. Stitch shook his head to bring himself back into reality. "Hm?" He asked stupidly.

"Weren't you going to show me pictures of her?" She asked again, tilting her head to the right slightly in perplexity.

"What? Oh! Right, this way." Stitch replied as he walked up to the red experiment. They left the ship together, walking up to the Pelekai house.

Soon, they were giggling on Stitch's bed in amusement at the picture Stitch held in his hand. Lilo remembered the picture clearly, it was taken on Halloween. She had dressed up as a fairy in result from a dare. Though the dress was gorgeous, Lilo hated it. It was a sparkly green dress that covered her legs and brushed her toes gently. Her pink wings dotted with blue and green sparkles glittered in the moonlight. Beside her, Stitch dressed up as a wizard. He wore a cotton black shirt and baggy pants with a black cloak wrapped around him. In his hand was a puny wand. Lilo remembered that Halloween and smiled at the memory.

Stitch turned the page in the photo album. Lilo nuzzled closer until her head was resting on his shoulder. Stitch however, did not react. His mind was focused on the picture. His heart pounded in his chest and his eyes began to sting with tears. Lilo noticed his sharp intake of breath and when she looked up at him, she noticed a tear dripping down his cheek. Lilo looked back at the picture and gasped in astonishment and utter horror.

The picture was her funeral. She laid in the coffin with a simple, but beautiful purple dress. Her face pale and her skin glowed by the flames of the candlelight. A solitary red rose laid on her chest, protected by her stone cold hands. A pink silk blanket covered her legs and a cherry pink satin pillow cushioned her head. Beside her, was a devastated Stitch, who's face glistened with tears. Stitch blinked as a solo tear trail down his cheek. Lilo noticed the droplet and reached over to wipe it away.

"I miss her so much Aliella." Stitch croaked. "She was my buchee-bu, the one I truly loved and cared for and who did so much for me. I can't believe she's gone. I know we had seven good years together, but I still feel as though, something's missing. That I've only had her for too short of the time. I feel as though, we should've had more time together. Now, I'll never have that time with her and I have no idea how long my life can continue. I only stay strong for my family. They're the only reason why I feel as though I should keep on living even when I have nothing to hold onto. I don't know if I'll ever manage a long life without Lilo. I loved her so much, I still do." Stitch dropped the photo and brought his hands to his face. Lilo felt a deep despondency course through her body as she watched the one she loved more than anything cry over her.

"Stitch." Lilo sighed as she turned to him. She grabbed his hands and plucked them away from his face. Stitch looked at her as he saw a lone teardrop drip from her cheek too. He reached his claw upwards to rid the tear, but Aliella caught his hand and the other one along with it. She leaned forward to kiss his nose, which calmed his hasty breathing only slightly. Stitch scooted closer, for some insane reason, to feel her lips on him again. "It's okay to cry. You don't have to keep it all inside of you. It's good to let it out."

"Lilo always told me that." Stitch replied with a sad smile.

"Then she must've been a wise girl." Lilo smirked.

Stitch sighed. "Yeah she was. Arlene will never take her place. No one will. "

"Are you happy with Arlene?" Lilo questioned.

Stitch paused. "I don't know. I enjoy her company, but I'm not feeling anything special towards her, like what I had for Lilo."

_Maybe I should tell him. He's not happy with Arlene, she might be the one who killed me, and Stitch seems extremely sad about me. I need to tell him. _"Stitch," Lilo began, reaching for his hand. "I have something to confess."

Stitch perked his ears, eager to hear her news. "Yes?"

Lilo took a deep breath. _How do I explain this? _She asked herself. She droned on a long pause and she could tell Stitch was getting irritated. He never liked waiting for a long time just to hear a person speak. She thought of every possible way of breaking down the news gently to him so he wouldn't be shocked. _What if he gets mad at me? What if he doesn't believe me and shuns me away? _Lilo thought frighteningly. _'Try not to scare him away.' _Angel's words to her when she decided to befriend Stitch rang in her head and she thought that maybe that was what Angel was hinting at.

"Aliella?" Stitch trailed, wanting her to finish what she had to say.

"Nothing! It's not important." Lilo replied suddenly, her fur deepening its original cherry red color. She hopped off the bed, or at least could've if Stitch hadn't sprang his arm out, wrapped it around her waist, and tugged her backwards.

"It is important so tell me." Stitch demanded in a stern, but still gentle tone of voice.

"Uh… I, um, uh." Lilo stuttered. _He always thinks of himself as a lady's man, maybe he'll believe me when I say I love him. It wouldn't be as though I'm lying to him because I really do love him. Well, here it goes. _"I… kind of like you okay. But you already have Arlene and you're still sad about Lilo, so I'm not going to bug you. Can we please be friends though?"

Stitch laughed. "I always thought myself attractive. Lilo thought I was full of it."

Lilo laughed with him. "Smart girl."

Stitch smiled. "I'll be your friend Aliella. For now. How about dinner tonight at Peppi's? My treat, I buy. Let's see where this goes."

Lilo giggled. "Oh how I would love to, but no. Stop clowning. That isn't a very nice joke to females who like you."

Stitch's smile grew bigger. "Seriously. Dinner at Peppi's."

"Are you serious?" Lilo asked in astonishment.

"Well, of course it'll be like a friendly dinner. No loving or anything. Just friends." Stitch shrugged.

Lilo nodded eagerly. "Okay."

"Okay." Stitch mumbled, his cheeks beginning to flush a hot pink.

A moment of awkward silence passed through them. Lilo shifted uncomfortably while Stitch gazed out the window from behind her. Finally, Lilo decided she should go back home. "Bye Stitch."

Stitch, startled at the break in the silence, jumped slightly and turned his head to Lilo. "You're leaving?"

Lilo nodded. "Yeah, don't want Angel worrying about me."

Stitch agreed. "So I'll see you at seven? Peppi's?"

Lilo smiled. "Yes, you will."

With that, she turned and allowed the lift to carry her downstairs. Stitch watched her go, immediately missing her company. He still had no idea why he initiated a date with her whether it was for friends or not. It seemed like a good suggestion at the time, and it still is. There was something there that he never felt towards Arlene. Friendship. Though he considered Arlene as a friend, he wasn't all that close to her as he was to Aliella. Not because of her looks, but of her similarities with Lilo.

Stitch looked at the photo album, which must've turned a page when Stitch dropped it. The next page was with her and Stitch. She had her arms around him, her cheek attached to his fuzzy chest, and a huge bright smile for the camera. Stitch had his arms tightly around her waist, holding her so close that it looked as though they were molded into one being. Comparable to his lover, he had a huge genuine smile. Stitch studied the picture, poring over the fact how happy they were together, as though they were so carefree from all the troubles in the world simply because they had each other. Stitch studied himself, noticing how jovial he used to be. He sighed as a tear escaped his eye.

"I'll never look that happy again." He sighed as he looked out the window, seeing the world float pass him. "Not without her here with me."

Meanwhile, Lilo skipped happily back to the place she shared with Angel. She gleefully knocked at the door, waiting for Angel to answer it. Angel pulled open the door and noticed her friend standing there with a wide beam on her face. Angel peered curiously at Lilo before stepping aside. Lilo walked into the house, immediately babbling on about the day's events. Angel listened intently, hanging on to every word. By the end of it, Angel wrapped Lilo in her embrace.

"I'm so happy for you." Angel murmured.

"I know it's not a boyfriend and girlfriend date, but at least I'm getting close to him right?" Lilo questioned.

Angel nodded. "Where is he taking you?"

"Peppi's." Lilo replied excitedly.

Angel gasped and smiled brightly. "That was the place he first took me."

"Yeah, we had dinner there a couple of times ourselves. Oh Angel! I can't wait!" Lilo cried in exhilaration. She looked at the clock and noted to herself it was hours away from it being seven. It was still morning and the day was on the brink of changing into afternoon. "What can I do for the entire day?" She asked herself.

Stitch meanwhile, eyed the blaster hanging from Arlene's wall. His arms folded over his chest as he gazed at the small weapon. On the outside it looked like he was staring at something he's never seen before. Inside though, his brain was whirling with many thoughts, all of them accusing Arlene. She had told him she needed the blaster for protection, but should he really believe her? This coming from an experiment who despised Lilo with such a passion, who had attempted numerous of times to separate them, one who dreamed and wished Lilo would be out of his life. Could he really trust her?

Stitch strolled to the wall and plucked the blaster from the loop. He twirled it around in his fingers, as though he were looking for a sign of some sorts. As he looked over the gun, his eyes were drew in to something that made him sick in the stomach. There were bloodstains just above the barrel. It wasn't just any bloodstain either, it was crimson red. Human blood. He sniffed at the stain and cringed. "Lilo."

_She has been lying to my face the whole time! How could I been so stupid. It's obvious Arlene killed her! Oh she will pay. I'll make sure of that. _With the blaster in his hand, Stitch tore down the stairs and exited via the front door. As his anger amplified with every thought about Arlene and her connection to Lilo's death, so did his pace. He stopped in front of the Pelekai house and searched for the ship. He pushed his way through intervening bushes in his path to the ship and called out for his creator. He heard no response. He gave up on the ship and went back to the Pelekai house. There he found Nani feeding Hale his baby bottle. She was smiling at her son hungrily sucking bottle, closing his eyes in bliss as the warm milky liquid slid down his throat.

"Nani?" Stitch asked.

Nani raised her head. "What is it Stitch?"

"Where's Jumba?" Stitch questioned.

"In the kitchen having his sandwich." Nani replied.

Stitch nodded and left for the kitchen as Nani returned back to feeding her baby. Stitch paused at the doorway that led into the kitchen where he saw Jumba munching on a delectable sandwich while Pleakley wasn't anywhere in sight. Stitch inhaled a deep breath and walked up to his creator. "Jumba?"

Jumba turned his head and smiled as he put down his sandwich. He backed up, creating a screeching sound as the legs of the chair scraped against the tile floor. He strolled over to his little creation who held the gun to his face. Stitch showed him the bloodstains and asked Jumba if he could approve it is Lilo's blood. Jumba nodded slowly, shocked at the droplets of dried blood. He stood and announced that Stitch would be the first one to know after him of course. Stitch watched him leave then returned back in the living room.

Nani had finished feeding Hale and placed him on the carpet to play. He watched Hale as he picked up a toy and dropped it. He crawled to the next, picked that one up, but dropped it also. Stitch watched partly amused as the boy continued the process until he found three out of seven toys that looked interesting to him. As he sucked on a toy car, he turned his head at the sound of the door opening and closing. Stitch heard it too and turned his head to see Aliella.

"What are you doing back?" Stitch asked.

Lilo bit her lip. She honestly thought Stitch would be with Arlene, so she wanted to play with her nephew for a while. She opened her mouth to answer until a childish yell interrupted her response. She looked forward as Hale crawled energetically to Lilo's fuzzy legs. She bent down to pick up the little boy and he threw his arms around her as he cuddled into her neck. Stitch looked at the scene with surprise for Hale was very reluctant towards strangers, especially experiments. Even Hale wouldn't allow Stitch to touch him.

"Wow, Hale's taken a liking to you quickly. He never warmed up to me." Stitch pouted and Lilo giggled.

"Maybe it's because you're not a girl." Lilo replied and Stitch chuckled at her response.

Lilo kneeled down to her knees and let go of her nephew. Hale dove out of her arms and into his big pile of toys. Hale plucked a toy and rammed it against the couch. Lilo crawled up behind him and blew into his ear, tickling the hairs on his scalp. He laughed as he raised a hand to his sensitive ear, but Lilo gently grabbed his hand and tenderly kissed his little palm. Hale laughed with glee as he fell backwards and she blew into his neck. Stitch creped up as well and slowly grazed the baby's tiny feet with his claws, causing the boy to kick and laugh.

Lilo raised herself up to plant a sweet kiss on her nephew's forehead. A wide smile spread across his thin lips as he reached up and clutched to Lilo's antennae. He yanked hard, which caused her to fall on her stomach. She rolled to her back and Hale climbed on top of her. She grabbed the baby's sides and lifted him into the air and tossed him shortly until he landed in her palms. Hale screeching with laughter each time she tossed him.

Stitch stared at them as Lilo cradled the baby's head to her chest and began rolling on the carpet slowly. Stitch smiled as Hale hooted in joy and Lilo had a huge smile on her face. Stitch wrapped around the other side of them just as they rolled towards his way. Lilo's back collided into Stitch's leg and she desisted her movement. Stitch crouched down to look at her.

"Hale seems to have taken a liking to you." Stitch replied.

"I've taken a liking to him too. He's a handsome little guy." Lilo mused as she ran her hand through her nephew's hair. Stitch growled lowly beside her, causing Lilo to grin. "But you are much more handsome." She replied quickly, which caused Stitch to lose his angry face and wear an arrogant grin. Lilo laughed and leaned forward to kiss his cheek, forgetting who she was to him. Stitch stared at her in surprise. "Sorry. I do that." She shrugged.

"It's fine." Stitch replied and actually with meaning. He truly enjoyed that little kiss. Even if it was similar to a quick peck on a cheek, he could feel that warm feeling heating up again inside of him. His limbs suddenly became numb and all he could feel was the burning sensation on his cheek from where she kissed him.

Lilo and Stitch continued to play with Hale until Nani intervened their joyous time. She picked Hale from the floor and carried him to her room. Stitch and Lilo looked at each other, wondering now what they should do since the baby was put to a nap. "Have you seen the entire town?"

"Why do you ask?" Lilo interrogated instead.

"Well, if you haven't, then I thought I would show you around. You know, see what is around." Stitch offered.

Lilo smiled. "O-Okay."

Stitch walked to the door to open it for her and bowed. Lilo mocked a curtsy and laughed as he shut the door, both of them laughing at each other's fake generosity before climbing into the car. Lilo inhaled a deep breath as Stitch entered the small buggy and turned the key in the ignition. As the engine buzzed to life, Stitch stepped on the brakes and drove down the street.


	17. Chapter 17

A contented smile stayed on Lilo's face during the whole tour. Even though everything Stitch pointed out to her was a place she's been before, she still felt happy. She turned her head to face the reason why she was happy. Stitch was with her, alone at last. There was no Angel, no Nani, no Arlene, no anyone. It was just her and Stitch driving around the island like they used to when they were kids. Stitch directed his claw at the Hamburger Hut. He remembered it was the place he and Lilo would eat if they were hungry.

Beside him, Lilo's stomach growled. He chuckled and asked if she was hungry. Lilo shrugged as a meek smile spread across her face. Stitch hopped out the car as Lilo exited as well. She ran up to him, walking side by side. They entered the small shelter and ordered their meals. After paying the rather reluctant worker, Lilo and Stitch enjoyed their hamburger inside the buggy. When they finished, Stitch and Lilo waded their wrapper and threw them on the backseat. Stitch was about to start the buggy up until Lilo noticed a red substance, which she assumed was ketchup, dribbled down the corner of his lips.

"You've got something there." Lilo replied.

Stitch wiped his face with the back of his hand. "Gone?"

For some reason, the ketchup wasn't gone. Lilo shook her head. "No."

He repeated the action again. "Now?"

Lilo shook her head. "Still there." She stopped his hand from moving back to his face for a third attempt by gently grasping it and laying it down. She leaned forward and Stitch watched her as she raised her hand to his chin and turned it to the side. Her tongue darted out her mouth and on his furry cheek, licking away the ketchup.

A shiver slid down Stitch's spine, yet it wasn't from disgust at her licking him. It was actually a shiver of pleasure. That fire he thought was put out when Lilo died came roaring back as powerful as ever. He faced the red experiment as she pulled away from his cheek and looked out the window. He stared at her for a while, wondering how it is this experiment was making him feel this way. He tried to find a logical reason as to why she effects him in the way only Lilo has ever done.

Lilo stared over the side of the car, concealing her flushed cheeks from the experiment beside her. Stitch gripped the wheel and drove off, this time, his thoughts kept him quiet. It was a long silent drive home. Stitch parked the buggy in the car port once they reached the Pelekai house. Both of them exited from the vehicle and faced each other.

"Thanks for the tour." Lilo replied awkwardly.

Stitch shrugged. "No problem."

Lilo smiled at his nervousness then glanced at the house. "Mind if I stay until our dinner date?"

Stitch grinned. "Not at all."

She grinned hugely, showing off her teeth as she spun on her heel and walked up to the house. Stitch ran up to her and captured her hand in his own. Lilo felt the contact and inhaled sharply. Stitch looked down to see his hand squeezing her own. Stitch immediately dropped her hand, bowing his head to hide his blush. His head perked back up again when she laced her fingers through his. She smiled prettily at him as his steely black orbs caught her chocolate brown eyes. The same eyes as his lover.

As he stared into her eyes, memories of his previous love came rushing back to him. Her laughter chimed in the air. A sweet, melodious voice of happiness that always brought a smile to Stitch's lips. The fond memory of her touch burned his flesh. Even if he was in a sour mood, all Lilo had to do was press her hand onto his own, his shoulder, his back, or his lap and he would soften instantly. He remembered her sweet brown orbs. She could melt his heart over and over again with those softhearted eyes and a kind smile to go with it.

"Lilo." Stitch whispered, almost tearing up at her name.

Lilo drew back from him. "What?"

"I see her." Stitch replied. Lilo tilted her head anxiously. "In you."

"What do you mean?" Lilo asked, trying to avoid him finding out her secret.

"Your eyes are just so much like hers that… I can see her." Stitch smiled sadly. "Pathetic I know, but it's like… she's in you. Somewhere."

Lilo smiled briefly at him before turning away to enter the house. Stitch followed behind her, climbing up the porch steps. His heart pounded franticly in his chest, hoping he didn't frighten her. They both entered the house and went to the dome. They played with the computer Jumba gave to Lilo for her birthday. Of course, he was reluctant to share something that belonged to Lilo with someone else, but he believed Lilo wouldn't mind.

Lilo stayed with Stitch just playing with him and her nephew when given the chance. Finally, it was 7:00 and both of them were getting hungry. Lilo and Stitch left the house to the small red buggy motionless in the carport. Stitch, being a gentleman, opened the door for Lilo to slide in. She smiled and thanked him as he slammed the car door and wound around the buggy to the driver's side. He smiled curtly at her before turning the key in the ignition and driving into the cold night.

Peppi's was a beautiful luxurious place. The booths, which were located near the windows, had a spectacular view of the lights of Kokaua Town with the ocean's waves coming back and forth behind the tall buildings. The place was very spacious and soft carpet covered the hardwood ground. The mulberry tables were shiny and impeccably clean. The chairs or seats were comfortable and had a magenta velvety cushion. Intricate decorations hung from the walls, ceiling fans, and painted beautifully on a wall. The place smelled of delicious foods ranging from a tasty meal to a mouth watering dessert.

Stitch and Lilo stepped inside the big restaurant. They had Morpholomew change their bodies with pictures of people from a regular teen magazine since animals were forbidden inside buildings. Lilo was disguised as a seventeen year old girl. She had beautiful long wavy chocolate brown hair that flowed down her mid back with thin burgundy highlights. Her usual tan skin was now ivory white, as though it were an angel's skin. Her eyes weren't a chocolate brown like before, but a honey brown with flecks of gold to enhance them. A fuchsia top covered her chest and a lavishing matching skirt covered her creamy legs.

Stitch was in incognito as a seventeen year old as well. He was as tall as Lilo with midnight black hair that seemed as soft as a newly born baby's flesh. His soft fur changed to supple very light tan skin. His eyes were a deep blue with a tint of lime green. A white shirt clung to his stomach muscles and casual men's jeans covered his strong legs.

They walked up to the cashier who stared at them and smiled. "A date eh?"

Stitch shook his head and replied in a fake deep voice as best he could. "No, just friends."

"Ah well, you would make a lovely couple." The man smiled cheerily then handed them two menus. "You may find your seats."

Stitch cradled Lilo's delicate hand and led her to the spot where it seemed comfortable. They sat behind a table of three giggling girls, two brunettes and one blonde. They all had been eyeing Stitch, mainly his chest and stomach, as he and Lilo entered the large area. They whispered and giggled to each other even more as Stitch and Lilo sat in the booth behind them.

One of them with lengthy blond hair and sparkling green eyes twisted her body to get a good view of the black haired boy. A smile danced across her face, as though she were deciding on something. One of her friends whispered to her in her ear and giggled afterwards. The girl nodded and stood from her table. Lilo and Stitch looked up as she sat next to the handsome boy.

A confused expression quickly turned to rage on Lilo's face as the blonde had the nerve to flirt with her boyfriend. Stitch was backing away from her as she leaned close and pressed her chest to his. Her hands planted themselves on his thighs as she leaned close to his ear. "Come and join us honey. We will give you better company than your friend here." She gave a nasty look to Lilo as she said that and returned her gaze back to Stitch, smiling alluringly.

Lilo had had enough when the blonde leaned over and pressed her full pink lips on Stitch's cheek. Before Stitch could react, Lilo beat him to it. She scowled as she stood from her seat, went around the table, and grabbed the girl by the arm. Stitch wore a look of relief as the blonde was roughly pulled away from him. Lilo tugged her back until she fell to the ground. The girl looked up at her with a scowl etched into her features.

Lilo met her angry glare with an intimidating look. Her honey eyes darkened into rage as she bent down and clutched a handful of the girl's pretty hair. She yanked her up and whispered furiously in her ear. "Touch him or even blink his way and you're pretty little face won't be so pretty after I get through with you. Stay away from him!"

Lilo pushed the girl away and sat down quickly next to Stitch who stared at her with appreciation. The blonde whirled around to look fiercely at Lilo. "You're just a friend to him, but I can offer a lot more." She smirked.

"You can only offer him a fling while I can offer him a lot more than that." Lilo growled.

"Like what?" The girl asked angrily.

Without warning, Lilo turned to Stitch, threw her arms around his neck, and met his lips in a soft but passionate kiss. Stitch was shocked, but relaxed into the kiss as his arms suddenly caught her around the waist. She kissed the same way as Lilo. Her soft lips meekly but slightly confidently brushed over his which sent a jolt of electrocution surge through his body. Just as he was about to take it a small step, Lilo pulled away. Her cheeks tinged with a rosy pink as she smiled nervously at him.

Stitch smiled, assuring her he was fine with her abrupt kiss. Lilo leaned over to wrap her arms around Stitch's waist protectively and sneered at the girl. "I can offer him love and a long term relationship."

Just as the girl was about to reply snidely, the man from the cashier walked behind the girl. "Excuse me miss, but is this girl harassing you?"

Lilo nodded. "Yes."

The blonde swiveled and blushed a bright red at the man. "I have to ask you to return to your seat miss, that is unless, you wish to be kicked out. That can easily be arranged."

"You know what! You're not better than me! You can't tell me what to do!" The girl shouted. "You ugly little witch! Touch my hair again and you'll die. DIE!" This she scowled through gritted teeth. Then her gaze softened as she looked at Stitch. "Come along handsome. Ditch this ugly witch while you have the chance. I know it must've been pure torture having those dirty lips on you. Not to mention her stench!"

Stitch finally flared with anger. No one was going to get away with insulting his friends especially after they 'rescued' him. He sneered at the blonde as his blue eyes darkened. "You're one to talk! I could barely resist from gagging with your smell! What perfume do you use? Swamp Smell? Or you can't afford perfume so you rub dog crap all over your body?"

The blonde was shocked. She had never been insulted from any guy in history. "Fine! Stay with that ugly witch!"

"Come up with something more creative next time. I thought a big shot like you would come up with at least a few good insults. All it's been is ugly witch! And apparently, that's not affecting my man." Lilo growled out as she pecked Stitch's lips quickly. "Get lost!"

The blonde huffed and walked away angrily, quickly being followed by her friends. The man looked after her with a disapproving glare. He turned to Lilo and Stitch and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry miss. For such rude hospitality, I will deduct twenty dollars from your overall meal."

Stitch was about to agree with that until Lilo, being the polite one, disagreed. "No, it wasn't your fault. It was that girl. We'll pay for the meal."

"Miss, I insist." The man replied.

"Come on Aliella. The guy offered it to us, why not take it?" Stitch asked.

Lilo shook her head. "Because it wouldn't be nice."

"Well, I don't think it's nice to turn down an offer like that." Stitch replied.

"Stitch, we will be paying for our meals and not cheat! It's not the man's fault." Lilo reprimanded.

"He's offering! It wouldn't be nice to turn it down. Take it or leave it." Stitch asked.

"Leave it." Lilo replied firmly.

Stitch reached over to cover her mouth. "Thank you, we'll take your offer."

Lilo grabbed his hand and shoved it away from her mouth. "Stitch! I said we wouldn't take it."

"I know, but I say take it and he says it. Two against one." Stitch smirked arrogantly.

Lilo pouted. "Not fair."

"Life's not fair." Stitch chuckled.

"You're not fair!" Lilo replied and stuck her tongue out.

"I am being every definition of fair." Stitch replied pompously.

"You're every definition of unfair!" Lilo growled.

"Alright, hold up you two!" The man laughed, having getting amusement from their little spat. "You say you're friends, but you fight like an old married couple." He laughed. "I told you that you two would make a lovely couple. Alright, 20 dollars off your overall bill."

"That's right." Stitch declared, covering Lilo's mouth to muffle her protests.

The man smiled and nodded. "Are you ready to order?"

"We didn't get a chance." Stitch replied.

The man nodded and promised he would be back to collect their orders. He left and Stitch released Lilo. She turned to look at him with an angry expression. "You are-"

He leaned forward and quickly pecked her lips. She smiled. "What were you going to say?" He asked.

Lilo shrugged, still smiling. "I forgot."

He laughed, truly enjoying her company. He slid his arm around her shoulders as they scanned the menu together. When they found what looks good to them, the waiter came by and recorded their desired meals. He left them alone to chat and came back later with spaghetti topped with tomato sauce and supporting big meatballs. On the side was a rare steak rib and gave off a hot steam.

Lilo and Stitch reached for the fork and began to eat their food. When they finished, Stitch offered to drop off Lilo at Angel's home. She agreed to the idea and left with Stitch. They paid for their meal and left a tip for the excellent waiter. Lilo entered the passenger side as Stitch slipped in beside her in the driver's seat. They met Morpholomew along the way who changed them back to their respective bodies. When they both became experiments, Stitch and Lilo hopped back into the buggy and continued the ride to home.

Along the way, Lilo's eyelids grew heavy. She blinked back her sleepiness, each time her vision was clouded by black shadows. Her throat itched to emit a long yawn. She leaned to the right slightly, but ended up having Stitch's shoulder as a pillow. Stitch felt the contact then looked down at her. She looked so serene leaning on him that he didn't have the heart to wake her. As he drove on into the dark night, he was oblivious to his arm wrapping around the experiment's shoulder. A contented smile uplifted his lips as he held the experiment close to him.

He added pressured to the brakes with his foot when he pulled up at the Pelekai house. He steadied Lilo as he unbuckled himself then let her fall into his arms. With one arm, he cradled her upper body to his chest while his other arm reached over to unbuckle her seat belt. As the belt slid into place, Stitch cradled her full body in his arms and exited the buggy. He walked up the house, jamming his claw in the hole to unlock the door. He entered, still holding the body of the experiment. He laid her on the couch and went to the linen closet to pull out a blanket and covered her body with it. He turned to leave just as Jumba walked into the room.

The oversized alien acknowledged his experiment's presence by a curt nod of his head. In his hand was a blaster that Stitch stole from Arlene. Jumba looked angry as he stared at Stitch. "Test is being positive." He replied in a deep voice. He turned his eyes away from Stitch and to the blaster he held. "Arlene killed Little Girl."


	18. Chapter 18

Stitch felt a growl build up in his throat. He always had been suspicious about Arlene. To hear that she turned untrustworthy caused anger to boil within Stitch. His hands clenched together into two fists, ready to pound someone. Someone by the name of Arlene and with the experiment number 628, the one who tore his heart in pieces when she killed the one he loved.

Without one word to Jumba, for everything has already been said and done, Stitch left the house. The events from tonight had worn him out and all he had wanted was retire to bed. However, his blood pumped with angry adrenaline once he received the news from Jumba. He was fully awake and ready for blood. He hopped into the buggy and sped down the streets, his rage building up even more.

Finally, he pulled up to the house where he spent so much of his time. He exited the small vehicle and ran up to the house. Instead of knocking, he kicked down the door. His eyes widened at the sight that bitterly greeted him. Arlene was in the arms of Bud, who was holding her close as he kissed her greedily. Arlene was franticly trying to push him away with her hands. It seemed as though Stitch arrived just as Bud pulled Arlene into a kiss.

"Arlene!" Stitch shouted.

Arlene managed to push Bud away and turn her head. Her ears folded behind her head in shame when she saw him standing in the doorway. "Stitch! I can explain. Please."

"Upstairs!" Stitch snarled. "Bud! Leave!" Bud stood his ground however, too shocked to even lift a finger. "Now!" Stitch roared.

Bud quickly dashed out the house, his heart pounding furiously. Arlene watched him go, instantly wishing he would come back. Stitch seemed so furious and she was scared for her safety. "Stitch, please. He kissed me, I-"

"Upstairs now!" Stitch yelled at her.

She whimpered in fear, but finally did as she was told. She turned around and began climbing up the stairs. Stitch followed her, his feet stomping created a thunderous noises racking through the house. Arlene stopped at the door that led to her and Stitch's bedroom. Stitch clutched her arm rather roughly and shoved her into the room.

Arlene ran blindly to the bed, grasping the wooden poles to control herself. She turned around to see Stitch practically radiating anger from his body. His eyes were darker than the usual in anger. His face was that of a cold blooded killer staring down his prey just before slaughtering them.

"You lied." Stitch scowled in a guttural tone.

Arlene felt fear strike at her pounding heart. "W-What?"

"You killed her!" Stitch shouted. "You killed Lilo!"

Arlene's face turned from fearful to terrified. She didn't know if her heart had already exploded in her chest, but she could feel the burning intensifying. She decided to play innocent. "I'm not a murderer Stitch."

Stitch growled. "Stop lying Arlene. I saw the blood splatter on the blaster. I know it was Lilo's blood. You can't deny it anymore Arlene. I know the truth."

He strutted towards her, his eyes narrowed in anger. Arlene gulped as she clutched to the bed post so tight, her claws embedded deep scratches on the wood. "I told you, I'm not a murderer."

That was the last thing Stitch heard from her before he killed her. Screams of pain and fright echoed throughout the small home. Pink blood stained the experiments and the floor. A pair of terrified eyes closed as the mouth breathed one last breath of life. One experiment towered over the other, observing his work. The female sprawled on the floor. Her body bleeding from the male's claws marring her aqua fur. Stitch gazed at her for a bit longer, surprised at how his uncontrollable anger took over him.

He swiveled on his feet and left the house. He leapt inside the buggy, anxiously turning the key in the hole. He sped just as fast as he did when he drove to Arlene's. He couldn't believe what he had done. He had killed an experiment. His own cousin. A female. He swore he would never hurt anybody like that in that matter after meeting Lilo. He had broken his vow. He turned his head to look at Arlene's house, shivering from the cold he felt in that house.

_I'm sorry Lilo. _Stitch thought as the rain cascaded from the heavens. He believed them to be Lilo's tears crying in anguish at what he had done. _She killed you, I had to kill her. I promised I would avenge you and I did. Please don't be mad at me buchee-bu. She deserved it. Right?_

The rain poured even harder, telling him he had done the wrong thing. As the guilt fully settled in in his heart, his eyes poured their own rain as well. He pulled over to the side to let the cars behind him pass him. He ignored the drivers' irritated honks and insults as they whizzed by. He leaned his head on the steering wheel, shutting off the motor. He allowed the rain to soak his fur as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

Meanwhile, Jumba looked out the window as the rain plopped on the rooftop. He felt Stitch was gone entirely too long. He had left about an hour ago and had never returned. Jumba turned to the red experiment snoring lightly under the covers. He walked over to Lilo, kneeling to her level. He brought his heavy hand to her shoulder, gently shaking her.

Lilo moaned as Jumba's hand brought her back to the living. She cracked open one eye then the other. "Jumba?" She asked groggily as she sat up. "Where am I?"

"Home." Jumba responded. "626 brought you here after your uh… date was it?"

Lilo felt her cheeks tinge a rosy pink, remembering the kiss from last night. "Where is Stitch?"

Jumba sighed as he told Lilo of what happened. Lilo's eyes widened and her mouth was ajar by the end of Jumba's story. Once he was quiet, Lilo leapt out of the bed and ran into the wet night. She noticed the buggy was gone, but Nani's jeep was still there. She jumped inside the jeep, glad Stitch taught her how to power up an engine.

She tore off the lid to the box where all the wires sprawled out. She pulled out the two Stitch had showed her and connected them. The wires caused the buggy to roar to life. She put down the wires, stepped on the gas pedal and drove into the soaping wet streets. This was the first time she even sat in the driver's seat of her sister's jeep, but she didn't try to get her first drive perfect.

She hustled through the streets that it was a surprise she didn't get into an accident. She followed the street that led to Arlene's home. She didn't get close to the house, for she could see the red buggy parked alongside the road. She turned the jeep to where the buggy parked. She pulled the lever to the P which she learned from Nani meant 'Park'.

She turned off the jeep and hastily exited the green vehicle. She wrapped around the car to the passenger side of the buggy. She jumped inside the buggy to see Stitch napping not so peacefully on the wheel. Lilo leaned over to kiss his head, causing him to stir. He inhaled deeply when he felt the contact of Lilo's lips. He turned to look at her and smiled sadly. Lilo noticed the tear streaks on his face.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Stitch blinked as the salty tears stung his eyes once again. "I killed her." He murmured. "Arlene. I killed her."

Lilo gasped slightly. _He promised me he would never hurt anyone again. _"Oh Stitch, why?"

"She killed Lilo!" Stitch shouted at her, causing her to shy away from him slightly. "I wanted to avenge Lilo." Lilo looked down, but shot her head back up when he spoke once more. "Lilo hates me now."

"What?" She asked in shock.

"Lilo hates me." Stitch repeated. "She hates me because I broke my promise to her."

"What gave you the idea I… she hates you?" Lilo asked, scooting closer to him now.

Stitch tilted his head to the sky, where the droplets of water was still streaming from the sky. "The rain. Lilo's crying because I betrayed her. She always hated it when I break a promise to her. Sees it as betrayal. She hates the people who betray her. She hates me now." Stitch bowed his head to hide his tears, but it was pointless for him when she raised his face.

"I… she could never hate you." Lilo replied, looking deep into his eyes. "No matter what you do, she would never ever hate you. She loves you deeper than hate goes. Hate is not even a word in her dictionary since the day she met you. She loves you and she doesn't want you to even think she hates you. She loves you. More than you will ever know."

Stitch stared at her, his heart warming at her words. She leant forward and he allowed her to kiss his nose. He tilted his head up to meet her lips with his. He pulled back timidly after several seconds, blushing lightly under his ocean blue fur. "I love her too. That's why I avenged her." Stitch replied forcefully.

"She would've done the same thing too." Lilo smiled as she turned her head to the jeep. "Let's go in the jeep. We'll come back for the buggy tomorrow morning. You look tired and I don't want you to drive alone."

Stitch nodded and twisted the key to turn off the engine. They both exited the buggy and entered the jeep. Stitch slept peacefully in the back, dreaming of the girl he loved while Lilo drove the jeep back home. She pulled into the driveway of the Pelekai house and shut off the motor by disconnecting the wires. She reached over to shake him awake, smiling as he opened his eyes.

They opened the car's door and stepped out together. Lilo grabbed his hand and smiled lovingly at him. They walked up to the house together with grins on their faces. They entered the house to see Jumba who looked relieved Lilo had brought him back home. He noticed his fur matted with Arlene's blood and demanded him to go bathe himself. Stitch grumbled, but went ahead and left to take his bath. He did feel disgusting with all he had done.

Lilo watched him go, feeling her heart going out for him. "He thinks I hate him."

Jumba didn't answer her, but replied with a question. "Did you tell him your secret?"

Lilo shook her head. "I'm afraid Jumba. What if he shuns me?"

"Tell him Little Girl. You've seen how distraught he's been. I brought you back so you and 626 can be together. Tell him." Jumba replied to her.

Lilo sighed. "Alright, I will after his bath."

Jumba nodded. "Good."

Lilo retired to her dome, laying on the bed. She reached over to the desk to flip through the photo album. She saw how happy Stitch seemed standing by her side. She wondered if he would be that happy again once she tells him her true identity. She placed the photo album back on the desk then stood to look out the window. She sighed as she stared out into the heavens overlooking the island below, asking her parents how to confess to Stitch in a hushed whisper.

Meanwhile, Stitch was just leaving the bathroom after drying his drenched body with a fluffy blue towel. He hung the towel over the shower rack for it to dry. He then exited the bathroom and about to make his way to the dome. However, Jumba blocked his way. He looked up at his creator with a guilty expression. He remembered the incident at Arlene's, where he killed her slowly and very painfully. He had treated her as though she were a male experiment. Her mutilated body flashed before his eyes, causing a pang of shame pierce his heart. He could just hear Lilo's voice yelling at him in fear, anger, and most of all, betrayal.

"Is 628..." Jumba asked slowly, unsure how to ask it.

"Yes, she is dead." Stitch replied angrily. "She killed Lilo and I vowed to avenge her. I did."

"Do you even feel slightly guilty?" Jumba asked. "You killed one of your cousins! A female!"

"She deserved it!" Stitch snarled back.

"I don't think Little Girl will be agreeing with that." Jumba replied.

Stitch blinked as his eyes stung with unwanted tears. "Yeah well, she's dead remember? I don't think we'll ever know if she thinks I did the right thing." Stitch growled as he began to walk away.

"She's not dead." Jumba muttered before he could stop himself. He hoped Stitch hadn't heard, but out of the corner of his beady eye, he could see Stitch pausing in his steps. He slowly turned around to stare at his creator with a befuddled face.

"What did you say?" Stitch asked.

_I can't be keeping this from him. Little Girl may not confess to him. I have to be telling him. _"Little Girl is alive 626."

Stitch's ears perked in interest, but immediately lowered when he thought he saw the truth behind the words. "Yeah, I know. In our hearts she'll always be alive. I already have Nani jamming that down my throat, I don't need you too."

"She is alive 626. She's here right now!" Jumba called out to him.

Stitch turned, his eyes wide in astonishment. "What?"

"Jumba noticed how upset you were over losing Little Girl that I… used 624's blood to bring her back to the living." Jumba replied.

Stitch marched up to Jumba. "Where is she then?" Stitch sneered, not believing Jumba's story.

"Upstairs. In your dome." Jumba replied. "You are knowing her to be Aliella."

_Aliella? _Stitch thought to himself. "Yeah right. Stop lying Jumba. I've accepted the fact that she's gone and I feel a little better after slaughtering Arlene. I don't need you making me feel any better by saying Lilo's right here. In Aliella's body."

Though his mouth spoke those words, the wheels in his brain were spinning. Questions danced all over his skull, causing him to further believe Jumba's explanation. Aliella's eyes were the same as Lilo's. A chocolate brown that sparkled with happiness when she laughed, darkened in anger, and twinkled like the stars when she cried. Her voice was exactly Lilo's tone. A sweet voice that would cause Stitch to lift his head eagerly to hear that beautiful voice calling his name. Her laugh was even identical. He noticed the way she would look at him as well. The way her eyes would soften instantly and she would melt into his arms as he held her. She looked at him the same way Lilo looked at him.

"Lilo." Stitch muttered to himself, ignoring Jumba rambling constantly about the process in bringing Lilo back. Jumba's rant was unnecessary, for Stitch had already figured it all out. Before Jumba was even halfway through his rant, Stitch had already tore to the dome.

He boarded the lift, but silently cursed it to make it go faster. Finally, the lift stopped and Stitch found her. _It is her. _Stitch thought to himself. _The one I have been missing for so long, the one I thought took a huge piece of me when she died, is right here. Here in front of me. She's mine again!_

Lilo noticed he seemed tense about something, but ignored it. She had more important issues to discuss with him. She opened her mouth after inhaling a long breath, ready to tell him about her true identity. However, she didn't even get a chance to utter a word when Stitch swiftly walked up to her. Lilo gasped as Stitch grabbed her around the waist and pressed her to his body. She looked at him in surprise as he swooped down and captured her lips with his. After her shock wore off, she lifted her arms to wrap around his neck. Stitch pulled her even tighter against him as she began to return the kiss. Impatiently, he jammed his tongue into her mouth, causing the air in her lungs to die out.

She slowly pulled away from him, surprised at his abrupt action. Stitch released her to grab her by the shoulders. He shook her franticly, his eyes wide with confusion and even… pain?

"Why didn't you tell me!" He shook her once more. "Lilo, I missed you so much! Why didn't you tell me blitznac! I missed you! You saw that! I love you and you never even told me who you were! Oh Lilo, I missed you." He grabbed her again, embracing her tightly as he cried lightly on her shoulder.

"Stitch…" Lilo replied in a long breath. "How did you know?"

"Jumba." He replied in her ear. "He told me everything. Oh Lilo, it feels so good to have you back in my arms. I love you buchee-bu."

"I love you too Stitch. I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid of how you would react. I'm so sorry. I've missed having you with me like this too." Lilo replied.

They kissed each other again, thrilled to rekindle what was almost lost. They held each other for the longest time, smiling into each other's fur. Tears lightly trailed down their cheeks. This time, tears of joy. Joy to have each other back. Joy to be together. Joy to bring back their love.

Stitch grasped her hand and pulled her over to their bed, smiling at her. He grabbed her in his arms, kissing her lips tenderly once more. This time, it was sweet and soft, expressing his love for her. Lilo stepped closer to him, her heart jumping at the fact she was now able to kiss the one she loved. Stitch fell backwards, bringing Lilo down with him. His arms nailed her to his body as he continued to kiss her. His hands caressed the back of her ears and she pulled away from his lips.

Her head tilted backwards in pleasure. Stitch grinned as he continued to stroke her ears, making sure he did it the same exact way she used to do for him. Lilo involuntarily purred as his fingers stroked her ears harder. She couldn't explain the wonderful sensation. She knew Stitch had always loved it when she stroked the back of his ears, but she never knew why. Now that she was experiencing it, she was growing to love it. She slanted her head back further so he could have more room to caress.

He sat up, one of his arm around her back to steady her while his other hand scratched the back of one of her ears. He kissed her face and nuzzled into it, loving the feel of her against him. "You see why I love it when you do this for me."

"It does feel good." Lilo purred as she reached one of her hands to the back of Stitch's head to return the favor. Stitch smiled and leaned into her, loving the feel of her stroking his ear once again.

His fingers dropped and resorted to wrapping around her waistline, pulling her closer to him. Lilo licked his cheek tenderly then cuddled closer against him. "I love you." She murmured.

"I love you too." He whispered back, licking her cheek as well. "I've missed you so much. The experiments missed you too."

"That reminds me." Lilo replied as she stopped her ministrations on Stitch's ears. He gave a groan in protest at her halt, but she only smiled and pecked his nose. Stitch grinned at her and held her tighter. Lilo continued. "When are we going to tell the experiments?"

"Tomorrow. We'll tell Yaarp to gather the experiments and then we'll… announce it." Stitch replied.

Lilo nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Stitch fell backwards, then flipped to his side. Lilo smiled at him as he drew the covers over their bodies. She curled up close to him and he welcomed her into his arms. She gave him one last peck on the lips before beginning to doze off. Stitch held her close as he began to drift off into dreamland himself. Her face was the last thing he saw before his eyes closed for sleep.

There, Lilo and Stitch slept with a sense of security and serenity hanging above them. They were finally back where they belonged; in each other's arms.

Note: So sorry that this chapter took a lot longer than it should've. I'm a little bit stumped on chapter nineteen and with school slowly coming to a close, they're giving us so much homework and tests to study for. I already have that 'Placement Test' in Algebra class to study for. I'll review all the stories I've missed and then... I don't know when I'll update next. The most probable would be maybe over the weekend if we have nothing planned, or when school ends which is in two weeks. Well, until then, aloha!


	19. Chapter 19

Note: I didn't like the part about Stitch killing Arlene off either and I would probably complain about it as well if it weren't my story, but it had to be done. If Stitch didn't kill Arlene, then the story would have ended with only eighteen or nineteen chapters. Wouldn't you guys think that would be boring? Kill Lilo, bring her back, Stitch and Lilo reunite, Stitch and Lilo's killer have a heart-to-heart talk then The End? Nope, there's still a little more I want to add before I say The End. So, if that part scared you away from the story, it's okay. I'm not going to force you, but if you're still willing to read, then here's chap 19! Try to enjoy! 

The sun gradually arose from the horizon after the long night had passed. The rays cascaded over Stitch's sleeping face, causing him to stir awake. He opened his eyes and smiled upon seeing Lilo's face. Events from last night passed through his brain, remembering who it was he was holding in his arms. He leaned forward to kiss her closed eyelids, but that action was enough to wake up his sleeping angel.

She cracked open an eye, revealing those sparkling brown orbs. She opened her other eye and smiled at her boyfriend. Stitch kissed her nose tenderly, wishing he could remain in her embrace forever. Lilo wished for the same, but she knew they had to get up. Lilo pecked his lips quickly before sitting up. Stitch followed her action, sliding off the bed and watched her as she brushed her disheveled fur.

"Ready for breakfast?" Stitch asked her.

Lilo nodded as she put the brush down. "All set."

Stitch smiled as he grasped her hand, loving the memory of when he would hold her soft hand. It felt entirely different holding the hands of an experiment instead of the human girl he grew to love so much, but inside that gorgeous experiment, his beautiful Lilo was in there. That was all that mattered to him. His Lilo was beside him, no matter what form.

Lilo noticed his hesitance and asked him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Stitch replied. "It's just weird that you're an experiment."

Lilo bowed her head. "Yeah, I am different aren't I?"

"Yes, but beautiful." Stitch commented, kissing her cheek.

Lilo looked at herself in the mirror. "Tell me the truth Stitch. Do I look better to you in my human body or Aliella's body?"

"No matter what you look like, you're always going to be beautiful in my eyes. Nothing and no one will change that opinion." Stitch replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Lilo smiled as he inclined his head to plant butterfly kisses along her neck. "You look beautiful to me in whichever form. That's the truth."

Lilo closed her eyes in bliss as she drowned in Stitch's kisses. "Come on Stitch, I'm hungry. As much as I enjoy this, I really want to eat."

Stitch smiled as he pulled away. "Of course. Come on."

They held each other's hands as they boarded the lift which carried them downstairs. They continued holding hands as they walked into the kitchen. Nani, David, and Pleakley stared at them in surprise, but Jumba just smiled. Lilo and Stitch walked in with huge grins as they greeted their family.

"I'm not known as Aliella anymore." Lilo replied with a smile. "Stitch knows who I am now."

"Well, that's good." Pleakley responded with a cheerful smile. "Have a seat."

"Hale's still asleep?" Lilo asked as she sat beside Stitch on the chair.

Nani nodded. "Yeah, he is."

As though on cue, a piercing shriek captured the occupants' attentions. "I'll get him." Lilo volunteered when she saw David turning to leave. David nodded and allowed her to fetch her little nephew. Stitch debated on following her, but was stuck when Nani began asking questions about how he knew of Lilo's disguise.

It took one full minute for Stitch to tell his family what happened last night. When they digested the information, Lilo entered the kitchen with her nephew attached to her hip. Hale had his eyes closed in contentment on Lilo's fuzzy shoulder as he sucked away on his bottle. Lilo sat beside Stitch, still cradling the boy near her.

After breakfast, Lilo and Stitch played with Hale in the living room while Nani and David took off to their work. Jumba went to his ship while Pleakley left for the mall. Stitch and Lilo occupied themselves with Hale. Stitch turned on the TV so it wouldn't be entirely quiet. Bob the Builder's theme song enraptured the boy's attention who turned to the screen. He laughed childishly as he tried singing the words himself. Lilo and Stitch sat on the couch together, enjoying the other's company.

"Lilo, are you mad that I killed Arlene?" Stitch questioned.

Lilo sighed. "I can't say I'm proud of you…" Stitch bowed his head to hide his shame. However, Lilo tilted his head back up with her hand underneath his chin. "But I can't say I hate you for it either. I guess I would do the same if anyone harmed you."

He smiled then kissed her directly on the mouth. Lilo raised her arms to wrap around his neck. They kissed softly until Stitch quickly pulled away and began rubbing his cheek. Lilo looked down at his lap to find a toy car then turned back to Hale who was clapping and laughing hysterically. Lilo, catching on to what her nephew did, began chuckling to herself. Stitch pounced off the couch and grabbed the baby. Hale screamed in discomfort as Stitch cradled him to his chest. He walked back to the couch, still holding Hale firmly.

Lilo giggled as Hale squirmed in Stitch's grip. Stitch was tickling his sides, laughing out the words in amusement. "You thought that hitting me in the head is funny, I think watching you squirm is funny!"

"Stitch, he's only a baby." Lilo chided laughing. She reached over and plucked Hale from his arms. Hale cuddled up to her, glaring at Stitch through his dark brown eyes. "It's okay Hale. I'll protect you." Lilo cooed, stroking his head softly.

Hale giggled and smiled up to his aunt. Lilo looked down at him with such tenderness that her eyes stung with tears. She raised the baby to her face, kissing his supple skin. "I love you."

Stitch watched her with a fond smile. He draped his arm around Lilo's shoulder, scooting closer. Hale stared up at both of them, giggling in amusement. Stitch felt his heart warming at the love atmosphere surrounding them. He looked up to Lilo, who raised her head to him with a smile and tearful gaze. His heart skipped a beat as he pictured this image happening in the future. Lilo cradling their own bundle in her arms, tears of happiness trailing down her cheek. He sitting next to her, staring at their baby with such warmth and love. He leaned over to kiss Lilo on the cheek.

She looked at him as he replied, "This could be us in the future."

Lilo grinned and nodded. She rested her head on Stitch's shoulder, smiling at Hale. _I hope it'll be._

Hours later, Stitch and Lilo were revealing the story to Yaarp. The blue experiment stared at the scarlet cousin in shock. Lilo waved at him awkwardly, before finding herself locked into his tight embrace. She patted his back as he welcomed her back home. He separated from Lilo and Stitch, handed them two earmuffs, which they eagerly used to cover their ears, turned to the gorgeous view of the island, and blew his horn. The obnoxious sound caused all experiments running to the post, asking each other if they knew what was happening.

Yaarp stepped to the side, allowing Lilo and Stitch to stand up to the cousins. Stitch began, explaining the story to his cousins in his foreign language. He talked from when Jumba created his plan to the time when Lilo confessed her true identity, including the part where he killed Arlene. Lilo remained at his side, holding his hand. By the end of Stitch's speech, every cousin was cheering and screaming in excitement.

Stitch led Lilo to the ground where a swarm experiments waited. They all rushed up to her, asking her questions in their language, which Stitch had to translate to her. Lilo answered awkwardly in her English language, to which Stitch interpreted to his cousins. All of the experiments besides a certain few, enveloped her with hugs, thrilled she was back in their lives.

Though hundreds of experiments rejoiced at their savior's return, one experiment scowled at her return. His anger intensified even more when he heard of Arlene's death. His narrowed eyes burned a hole through Stitch's skull, promising he would have his revenge. He returned his gaze to Lilo, his teeth aching to rip her apart. _No, get her when she's alone. _He growled in his mind. _I'll have her, but not when she's protected by… him. _He glared at Stitch. _Best friend or not, I will give him hell._

The experiment turned with a grim expression and walked away. Meanwhile, Lilo and Stitch were oblivious to the danger that would soon lay in front of them. They were too engrossed showing Lilo's new experiment body and explaining the story hundreds of times to experiments that asked questions. By the end of it all, it turned out to be more of a party. Sample had all the experiments run to his work place and they all had a one huge party. Frenchfry cooked food and desserts while the music in the background made by Sample rocked the entire place.

Everyone was on their feet, dancing to the lively beat of the song. Stitch and Lilo danced in front of each other, laughing and smiling, having a wonderful time. When the obnoxious drumming in the song stopped, Stitch reached out his arm to Lilo and pull her to him. They embraced each other just before preparing for a kiss.

"I love you." Stitch whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." Lilo smiled back, nuzzling into his neck.

Just before they were about to kiss once more, a voice yelled out to them. Angel's voice. "Lilo! Kixx dared both you and I into doing a duet!"

"Kixx! I can't sing!" Lilo yelled out to him.

"Actually Lilo, you can. You have Angel's powers and abilities remember?" Kixx replied.

Lilo shook her head. "I don't think I can sing well."

Stitch kissed her cheek. "I'm sure you can. Go up there buchee-bu. You'll do fine."

Angel turned to Lilo. "Come on! It's just one song, don't worry."

The experiments egged her on and finally, she caved in. Of course, she couldn't really get out of it once Angel snatched her arm and practically dragged her to the stage. Once they were on the stage, Sample fired up a softer song, one that both Lilo and Angel knew. Angel started the song off, enrapturing all the attention from the guys, except for Stitch of course. His eyes were on Lilo, assuring her with his smile.

Lilo heard Angel's voice disappear softly into the air, initiating her turn after the instrumental break. Her heart was pounding vigorously in her chest that she feared she would have an heart attack right there on the stage. Angel sang so beautifully and she worried her voice would sound atrocious. Angel turned her head to look at Lilo expectantly, letting her know it was her turn.

Lilo inhaled a deep breath, opened her mouth, and sung. To her, her voice sounded ghastly. Her voice sounded like sharp nails raking against chalkboard. A squeaky noise that sounded very unpleasant to her ears. It didn't help that all experiments were looking at her strangely. Even Stitch had his jaw slightly ajar. She was thankful her part finished, but even as Angel sang her part once again, all experiments were staring at her. Lilo felt so uncomfortable. Her cheeks tinged a hot pink with embarrassment. She knew she sounded just terrible.

When it was time for Lilo to join Angel in the chorus, she was thankful Angel would be singing along with her. She sang quietly, but still, all the experiments, even Stitch was looking at her. When the song ended, Lilo was close to tears in humiliation and she bowed her head to hide them. She knew she sounded horrible, but she couldn't believe the experiments were looking at her so disrespectfully.

"That's my buchee-bu!" Stitch shouted in the crowd.

_Great. Even Stitch wants to be with Angel again. _Lilo thought angrily. She lifted her head to glare at her boyfriend, but was surprised to see his claw pointing directly at her. Not Angel, but her.

"I'll trade you Stitch!" Sparky laughed jokingly.

"You don't even have a buchee-bu Sparky." Stitch rolled his eyes. He glanced up at Lilo and with his hand, motioned her to come closer. Lilo trudged her feet to him and was instantly wrapped in his embrace. "My girl here!"

Lilo looked up at him. "You're… not ashamed?"

"Who would be ashamed of that!" Stitch yelled as he kissed her. "Lilo, you sounded so beautiful. Even Angel didn't match with you."

Lilo grinned. "I sang… good?"

"No, you sang beautifully." Stitch grinned at her.

"But… then why was everyone looking at me weird. Even you were looking at me strangely." Lilo interrogated.

"We were looking at you because we couldn't believe what we were hearing. You were just so… good!" Stitch replied.

"I thought I sounded… terrible." Lilo replied meekly.

"Don't even think that!" Stitch responded. "I almost had to punch Shoe because he was looking at you wrong."

"Jealous?" Lilo smiled, loving how he could be so protective of her.

Stitch nodded and huffed. "You're right I was jealous. Anyone looking at you like that again is just asking for my fist in his nose. These people really have a lot of nerve. Arlene kills you, then Shoe looks at you like a delectable fruit! They should know mph!"

Lilo muffled his babblings by sealing his lips with hers. Stitch stopped talking to kiss his girlfriend back. They pulled away slowly, smiling lovingly at each other.

Later on, the celebration ended. Lilo, Angel, Stitch, and Kixx were exiting the place with the boys' arms around their respective girls' waists.

"Lilo, Kixx is moving in with me." Angel replied giddily.

Kixx grinned. "Yeah, I figured she would need some male company."

Stitch tightened his grip around Lilo's waist. He leaned into her ear. "Then you can move back with me?"

Lilo beamed then turned to Angel. "Angel, can I live with Stitch then?"

Angel laughed. "Of course you can. Come on!"

The friends traveled together as they chatted their mouths off. They stopped at Angel's home where Lilo immediately collected all her things in two bags. Angel was helping her while Stitch aided moving Kixx into the small home. Once Lilo's belongings were inside the bag, she and Angel hugged each other. They smiled as Angel escorted Stitch and Lilo to the front door.

After one last goodbye, Stitch and Lilo left the tiny dwelling to move back to their place. Stitch cradled Lilo's hand in his as they walked together in silence. Lilo's head rested on his shoulder while she held one of her bags in her hand. Stitch looked down the ground the whole way, wondering how it is his luck was suddenly on his side. He lost Lilo and now he has her back. Experiment form yes, but she was still Lilo. Still that same, sweet, little girl he had fallen head over heels for.

He froze at the sound of leaves rustling around in the bushes from behind. He tightened his grip around Lilo's hand as he turned his head in all angles. His head whipped fast to the tree in front of him as he heard nails scurrying higher up the bark. He tilted his head to the top of the elevated tree.

Lilo rattled his hand with hers. "What's the matter Stitch?"

"Thought I heard something." Stitch mumbled to her, almost inaudibly. "Must be imagination."

He smiled at her, but she didn't smile back. Instead, a loud piercing scream emitted from her voice. Stitch looked up to see a dark figure obstructing the sunlight. Stitch didn't get the chance to react when the figure pounced him. Lilo shrieked in fear and alert as she witnessed her boyfriend wrestling around with a figure, who's body was enveloped in a cloak of black.

The figure pinned Stitch to the ground, punching repeatedly at his face. He didn't want to mess him up to bad, but he wanted him too weak to protect the girl he was mostly targeting. Stitch struggled against the figure, but to no avail. No matter how hard he struggled, the figure wouldn't let up.

Lilo swiftly ran up the figure, clenching his arm and pulling him back. The figure, satisfied to what he did to Stitch, turned his attention to Lilo. The figure hopped off Stitch and attacked the red experiment. Lilo attempted to attack the experiment with weak punches and slight kicks, but the figure grabbed her waist and pulled her back to his stomach. Lilo moaned in hurt as he squeezed her forcefully.

"You can't escape me." The figure muttered darkly. "I will kill you. And this time, for good. Lilo." He spat out her name as though it were venomous.

The figure wanted to inflict more pain on Lilo, but Stitch was already standing. He took one small step from her, then smashed his foot into her back so hard that all the air escaped her lungs and into air. Stitch yelled her name as he watched her fall on the ground. The figure fled, but Stitch did not follow him. He ran to Lilo to check on her. His heart ached as he watched her quiver and tried gulping down large quantities of air.

"Lilo?" He knelt down to wipe the tears from her face.

"He said he was going to kill me." Lilo sobbed. "And this time, for good."

Stitch's eyes widened in terror. He had killed the wrong person. Arlene wasn't Lilo's murderer. He wet his dry, parched lips and stared out into the open where he saw the figure flee. Now he knew Lilo was alive again, but Stitch nor anyone else knows his identity.

"Stitch, I'm scared." Lilo whispered.

_Me too. _Stitch thought, but didn't want to say it for fear to frighten Lilo further.

"I don't want him to kill me. Not again." Lilo whimpered.

"He won't." Stitch replied firmly as he cradled Lilo in his strong arms. "I'll make sure of it this time."

There he remained sitting, comforting Lilo the best he could. Her weeping slowed to occasional whimpers. He leaned down to capture Lilo's lips, sealing his promise to save her from harm in that kiss. He was going to find every possible way to keep that creature away from his Lilo. Even if it will cost his life, he would gladly do it in a heartbeat. She was worth it after all.


	20. Chapter 20

Stitch laid on his and Lilo's bed with his limbs sprawled out. Lilo was in the ship for Jumba to check her wounds as was Nani and Pleakley. Stitch didn't stay because he was already assured she was fine and besides, he needed some time to himself to think. His stomach was flipping from the guilt. He had taken Arlene's life for no reason. For all he knew, she might not even been an accomplice in Lilo's murder. Therefore, he just killed her off carelessly, madly, and heartlessly.

His eyes closed as he thought back to that night. He remembered when her eyes stare back at him in terror. He could still feel her body trembling uncontrollably as he made her bleed. His body instinctively shivered when he remembered standing over her. Magenta pink blood pooling underneath her and slithering inside the cracks in the floor. Her eyes stared up at him in confusion as well with fright, startled that he had hurt her. Her breathing growing weaker and shallower until finally, the last breath of life escaped her. And what did he do? He just left. He didn't do a thing to try to help her, his rage wouldn't have allowed that.

'What have I done?' Stitch thought to himself. He put his hands to his face in shame.

He barely heard the whirring noise of the elevator, all he could feel was the shame devouring his insides. Suddenly, he felt someone delicately plucking his hand away from his face. He stared up at Lilo, smiling sadly at her. She smiled back at him then leaned down to kiss his nose. Stitch wrapped his arms around her back as she moved closer. She slid gracefully to the bed, holding his arms around her waist.

"You okay?" Stitch asked.

Lilo nodded. "I should ask you though."

"What do you mean?" Stitch replied, beaming at her. "I'm just fine."

Lilo shook her head. "You haven't been the same since that figure attacked. I know it's because you feel guilty about Arlene."

Stitch sighed. "I vowed I would never hurt anyone unless they hurt any member of my ohana. I thought she was the one that killed you. I was wrong. And now, she's dead and she might've even been innocent!"

Lilo stared at him with a sympathetic gaze. "You just made a mistake Stitch. It's okay."

Stitch gently pushed her off and slithered off the bed. "It won't be alright Lilo." He shook his head then turned to her. "Now I know what my rage can really do. What if I get that angry again and this time, hurt you!"

Lilo laughed silently to herself. "Stitch, you of all people should know you would never do that to me. You thought Arlene killed me and you avenged me. Just like you promised."

Stitch didn't respond. He just stood there with his shoulders slumped. Lilo jumped to the floor then walked over to him. She laced her arm through Stitch's then intertwined her hand with his. Stitch looked down at her as she smiled up at him and rested her head near the crook of his neck. Stitch grinned, she always had ways to make him feel at ease.

He turned to her, cupping her cheek with his free hand. His lips descended to hers in a sweet kiss. Lilo stepped closer to him, reveling in his affectionate kiss. She knew he wouldn't hurt anybody as long as they didn't harm anyone that he cared about. He thought Arlene murdered her, so he took her life. She firmly believed that if he could, he would return back that night and never lay a hand on Arlene. The idea of him even putting a claw on her just because he was mad was ludicrous to her. He would never hurt her just as she would never hurt him. She had that much faith in him and that much love for him.

They separated from the kiss, gazing into each other's amorous eyes. Stitch then turned away from her, staring through the dirty glass they called a window. Lilo returned back to her original position with her hand in his and her head on his shoulder.

"I feel safe with you." Lilo whispered to him. "Angry or not, there's no where else where I feel so safe than here in your arms."

Stitch smiled at her, releasing her hand to drape it around her shoulders. "I promise to protect you this time." Stitch replied, staring at the top of her head. "I'll do anything and give anything just to keep you here… with me."

Lilo nodded against his shoulder. "Just as I would do the same for you."

Meanwhile, Jumba was in his ship re-examining the blaster. He had thought since it was Arlene's gun and it had Lilo's blood sprayed all over it, then she might've been the killer. Obviously, he was wrong. He observed the weapon all over until he found a paw print that seemed entirely too small for Arlene's hand. He hovered the scanner over the small print until the machine beside him beeped.

He turned his head to the screen to see a figure slowly beginning to develop at the bottom. As the figure grew taller, his mouth hung open in shock. On the screen was an experiment that would be the least of their guesses. An experiment with a pink curvaceous body and labeled with the numbers 624. Angel.

Jumba thought as he shook his head. _624 and Little Girl are being like sisters! If 624 hurt Little Girl, why didn't she try again while Little Girl was living with her? _Jumba leaned back in his chair, staring at the figure on the screen. He pondered how it could be that Angel's handprints were on Arlene's blaster. 

He decided he would go talk to Angel. He highly doubted she would do anything to harm Lilo. Maybe she just needed to use Arlene's gun for something. Though he didn't know what, that was the whole point in talking to her. He pondered if he should tell Stitch and Lilo, but then thought those two needed some time together. They have been separated for a long time, so he was sure they would want time to be together, alone.

Without notifying anybody about where he was going, he left the ship. He strolled to Angel's house and raised his curled fist to knock at the door. The door was answered by Kixx, who was nibbling on an orange. Without a word, he stepped inside to let his creator pass. Jumba asked him where Angel was and Kixx directed him to the bedroom. Jumba entered inside the bedroom to see the pink experiment drying herself off with a fluffy purple towel, obviously because she had taken a bath.

"624?" Jumba replied.

Angel turned around then smiled. "Jumba? What are you doing here?"

Jumba ran his massive hand through his short little hairs. Angel was his second favorite experiment next to Stitch. It was going to be hard to confront her. "Little Girl was attacked."

Angel gasped in fright. "Attacked? Is she alright?"

Jumba nodded. "She is well as is 626."

Angel sighed. "That's a relief. So, Arlene didn't kill Lilo. Now what?"

"624." Jumba sighed. "I found your handprints on 628's blaster."

Angel tilted her head. "I don't know how that could be."

"624, please do not be making this hard for your creator." Jumba pleaded.

Angel stared at him. "You really think I would hurt my best friend? No! I wouldn't dare do that to Lilo! To Stitch! Even if I loathed Lilo with all my being, I still wouldn't kill her!"

"Jumba is not asking if you hurt Little Girl, only asking if you ever used Arlene's blaster." Jumba asked.

Angel shook her head once again. "I never touched that thing."

Moments later, Stitch and Lilo were staring at Jumba in shock. He had finished his talk with Angel and returned back home. Stitch and Lilo listened eagerly as Jumba explained what he found on the blaster. It remained silent until Lilo's sharp voice corrupted the silence. "Angel would never do that to me! She's one of my best friends! There must be some mistake."

Jumba shrugged his shoulders. "Jumba is not comprehending either Little Girl, but somehow, 624's handprints are on 628's blaster."

Stitch remained quiet as Lilo and Jumba talked. He didn't trust himself voicing his opinion. His anger surely has done so much against him. When he thought Lilo had died, he had yelled at his family and said he hated Lilo. When he found out about Arlene playing a part, he was so enraged he killed her off so coldly. He didn't even give her a chance to explain.

"Stitch!" Lilo's voice broke through his thoughts.

Stitch looked up. "Huh?"

"Let's go see Angel." Lilo replied.

"No!" Jumba cried and Lilo and Stitch turned to him. "You two have been going through enough together. Go do something fun! Go on date! Just have fun. Jumba will be taking care of this. Okey dokey?"

Lilo and Stitch grinned. "Alright Jumba." Lilo replied. "What do you want to do Stitch?"

Stitch held his chin in his hand. He pondered to himself before he reached over for the newspaper on the table. He beckoned Lilo to come closer, which she did. She peered over to see him pointing at a movie title. "A movie?" Stitch asked.

"Sounds good to me." Lilo beamed.

Stitch took Lilo's hand in his and together, they left the house. Jumba watched them with a warm smile, loving the sight of seeing his experiment happy once more. Aforementioned, Stitch was Jumba's successful creation. He desired to see him happy, not sad like he was before. Now seeing his experiment smile, he vowed he would keep it that way. He will find the one who hurt Lilo and make them pay a huge price before they repeat the job.

The day wore on and night was slowly coming. Kixx entered the bedroom to see Angel staring out the window. He had noticed she hadn't been acting the same since Jumba's visit, but she never told him what was wrong. He had asked twice today, but she would still avoid the question. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Angel smiled. "What do you want Kixx?" She giggled.

"I want you to tell me what's wrong." Kixx replied as he turned her around. He lifted her chin, which had dropped in sadness. "What happened Angel?"

"Lilo was attacked earlier today." Angel responded.

Kixx looked shocked. "So, Stitch killed the wrong one?"

Angel nodded. "There's more though." Kixx didn't respond, but wait for her to get it out on her own. "Jumba is suspecting me of killing her."

"Why?" Kixx interrogated in an astonished voice.

Angel sighed as she walked out Kixx's embrace and to the bed. "Somehow, my prints were on the blaster that was used to kill Lilo."

"Well, did you ever borrow it from her?" Kixx asked.

"No. I never even been to her house before. Kixx, you know I would never hurt Lilo." Angel complained. "She's my best friend!"

"I believe you Angel." Kixx replied as he ran over to her. Angel threw herself into his arms and shook as he held her. "I'm sure Lilo and Stitch will believe you too."

"I didn't kill her Kixx." Angel sobbed. "I would never."

"I know." Kixx replied as he stroked her rosy pink fur. "It's okay Angel. We'll find the guy who did this alright. It's okay, it's going to be fine. Now let's go to sleep."

Angel nodded and he led her to the bed. She jumped into the bed, her mind still absorbed on the new information. She wondered briefly how her prints were on the blaster until she felt Kixx gently tugging on her arm to get her to lay down. She complied to his request and curled up to his body. He brought his arms around her and caressed her back until she fell asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Fibber's mouth opened slightly as Lilo, Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley informed him of the thrilling events that occurred while he was away. "And now we need you!" Lilo replied. "Jumba suggested that we bring all the experiments to the Aloha stadium and we interrogate all of them and you beep when they lie. Got it?"

Fibber nodded. "When?"

"Now." Jumba replied as he gestured to the stadium behind him. He began strolling up to the tall building looming over them. Lilo, Stitch, Pleakley, and Fibber were closely behind.

Jumba threw the two doubles doors open so they could pass through. Every experiment was seated on cold steel of the bleachers, chatting with each other wildly about the situation. Jumba stepped up to the podium and motioned for Fibber to approach closer. Lilo, Stitch, and Pleakley watched the slowly unfolding event from the entrance. Stitch held Lilo around the waist in case anybody attacks unexpectedly. The experiment that attacked them before could be inside this stadium and he was ready if that experiment was going to repeat the action.

Jumba's Russian accent bellowed in the stadium through a microphone. He explained Fibber would be the key to finding Lilo's murderer. All the experiments concurred to the idea. Jumba shifted his attention to Angel. He was more eager to hear from her after finding her prints on the blaster used to kill Lilo. Angel stared with a determined face at her creator, knowing she was going to be the first to be interrogated.

"624." Jumba began, gazing just as determinedly at her. "Did you kill Little Girl?"

Angel shook her head. "No."

Jumba, Stitch, Lilo, and Pleakley tensed, awaiting Fibber's beep. However, Fibber remained solid on the chair. He gave no signs that Angel was lying to everyone. After a minute, Jumba realized Fibber wasn't going to beep and went back to Angel. "Are you to be knowing how your prints were present on Arlene's blaster?"

Angel once again shook her head in negative. "No, I do not."

Silence ensued after her sheer statement for a minute. Jumba motioned her to return to her seat. She plopped down beside Kixx, scooting into his arms. Lilo and Stitch were relieved that it was certain Angel played no part in hurting Lilo. However, the most feared question was still unanswered. Who did kill Lilo? Stitch and Lilo held their breaths as Jumba called each experiment to question them. So far, all the experiments had said no and none of them were lying.

Bud was the last one that was questioned. He had became Stitch's best friend after Stitch and Lilo became an item. He was the last one they would suspect, but he was still questioned. Bud rose with a confidant smile. He glanced at Stitch who smiled back. Lilo grinned at him as well. Though there were times Bud would give her the cold shoulder, she would disregard it.

Bud raised his face to Jumba once he announced his experiment number. "Yes?" He asked entirely too polite. This caused Stitch to lift an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Did you kill Little Girl?" Jumba questioned.

Bud smirked at Lilo. Lilo felt her heart thundering in her chest. Why was he staring at her that way? She cuddled closer to Stitch, who tightened his arm around her torso. Jumba was gazing at the orange experiment and so were many others. Fibber practically burned a hole through his head with his set eyes. A silence ruled over the stadium as everyone held their breaths.

Bud turned to Fibber, crossing his arms over his chest. His sneer widened into a sly smile. Fibber clutched his seat, tiring of the suspense. "No." He replied in a clear voice.

Fibber did not beep. Bud smiled at Lilo and Stitch before turning back to his seat. Lilo and Stitch gazed at each other in worry. All the experiments had been proven innocent. What could this mean? Was there another experiment? Was it someone else that knew of their secret and detested Lilo? Stitch cradled Lilo's hand in his as they exited the large stadium. Stitch's mind thought back to Bud's peculiar actions when he was questioned. He looked confident, but too confidant. Angel looked poised when she was interrogated, but not enough to cause doubts like Bud.

He knew his friend could be so high and mighty at times, but when it came to serious matters, his fooling demeanor would change. It nerved him that Bud had acted the way he did. Though it was assured he did not harm Lilo that night, it was still uncertain that he played a part of it. Stitch looked at Lilo's face and noticed she seemed to be deep in thought as well. Stitch secured his grip around her hand and she squeezed back. She looked at him with a smile before resting her head on his shoulder. Stitch released her hand to wrap around her shoulder.

"I don't understand. Jumba questioned all those experiments and Fibber remained silent during the whole thing. He didn't beep once!" Lilo cried.

"It is hard to understand that." Stitch thought aloud to himself. "Did you notice Bud?"

Lilo nodded. "I know. I actually thought he did it and was going to attack us. That's why I got closer to you."

Stitch sighed. "Lilo, I don't want to lose you again."

Lilo reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "You won't lose me Stitch. I'll have you, the experiments, Nani, Jumba, and Pleakley to protect me. Nothing will happen as long as they are protecting me."

Stitch nodded. "I hope you're right buchee-bu."

"I always am aren't I?" Lilo asked smugly.

Stitch grinned and turned her around to face him. "Yes, you are." He lifted her chin with his index finger and bent down. Lilo slithered her arms around his neck as his lips fully connected with hers. She separated from him after a moment and sighed as he held her close to him.

Unbeknownst to them, they had an onlooker lurking in the bushes. His eyes squinted in a glare as he thought of his next move. It was obvious that Jumba was resolute to track down the one that harmed their Little Girl. If he doesn't get his revenge on those two soon, then he would most likely be found out and dehydrated before he could even put a finger on her. He would have to have his retribution soon and he had to have it tonight.

Later that evening, Stitch drove to Bud's house and left Lilo with her big sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. He knew Nani and David would do anything to keep Lilo from harm, so he had no worries about that. He stopped in front of Bud's small home. He knocked gently on the door until Bud answered looking completely bored.

"Stitch! What brings you here?" Bud asked as he moved aside to allow his friend in.

Stitch shrugged. "Can't a guy visit his best friend?"

Bud cracked a small grin. "Not when his girl's in trouble. You sure it was wise to leave Lilo's side?"

"She's with Nani and David. They'll protect her." Stitch replied.

"She's home?" Bud asked a little too eagerly.

Stitch nodded. "Yeah, she is." Stitch shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "So, what a day huh?"

Bud nodded. "Yes, and to think that no one was accused of lying. Can you believe that?"

Stitch stared right at him. "Speaking of that Bud, what was with your actions today?"

Bud inclined his head to the right slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I know you can act all… arrogant at times. But today, it looked like… you were hiding something from your weird smile." Stitch responded slowly.

Bud looked unfazed. "It's just funny to me that no one was found guilty."

Stitch's face quickly turned to rage. "Funny!" He shouted. "You think it's funny that Lilo's killer is still out there and we have no idea as to who he is!"

Bud grinned mockingly. "Quite hilarious actually that Angel wasn't guilty and yet, her prints are all over the blaster."

"She may have been set up." Stitch growled. "Fibber would've beeped if she lied about killing Lilo. I believe her."

Bud rolled his eyes. "Of course you do. It's hard to convict a friend of murder."

Stitch stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "You know Bud; I'm really starting to think you're hiding something."

Bud shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Hey, believe in what you want to believe. All I know is that I didn't kill Lilo."

Meanwhile, Lilo sat with Hale watching his favorite cartoon. Lilo yawned as she leaned back on the couch, waiting for Stitch to return home. David and Nani were spending their time in the bedroom watching TV together. Hale was more interested in watching his beloved show than his aunt so, she was alone and bored.

She turned her head as the door to the house opened to reveal her boyfriend. She smiled and ran up to him impatiently. Stitch laughed to himself as she flung herself into his arms. "Missed me?" He asked pompously.

Lilo shoved him, but couldn't hide her smile. "I was bored to tears."

Stitch looked behind her to see her nephew's eyes transfixed on the screen. "Where are David and Nani?"

"In the room watching TV." Lilo replied. "I swear this family watches more TV than anything."

Stitch laughed for a brief moment then winked his eye at her. "How about I take you out."

Lilo beamed. "I would love that."

After an hour of basking in the warm sun at the beach, Lilo and Stitch found themselves at a hamburger hut. They were sitting across each other as they bit into their burgers. A large dish with a slice of coconut cake on top of it sat beside them. Stitch finished off his burger, grabbed a fork, and dipped it into the sweet dessert. Lilo finished her burger shortly afterwards and repeated the same action.

They talked as they enjoyed their dessert. The subject of Lilo's killer and of the events that happened today ventured elsewhere. Today, this was going to be about them. Not about the attacker who was still on the loose, not about Stitch's concise conversation with Bud, just them. They were conversing about each other and taking pleasure in each other's presence. After finishing off their lunch, they were back at the beach.

Stitch laid down in the supple golden sand. Lilo laid in his arms next to him, scooting her body into his. Stitch draped an arm around her back, pulling her closer against him. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, closing her eyes to avoid the piercing sun penetrating her pupils. Stitch gazed out into the sea as he held his beloved close to him. They laid there, just relaxing in the sun and reveling in each other's presence. The sky darkened as night approached. Stitch looked down to see his Lilo had fallen asleep in his arms.

He kissed her head gingerly, but she didn't stir. He slid his arm carefully out underneath her small body. The moment his body warmth dissipated from her, she shivered as the cold breeze raked against her. Stitch kneeled to lift her into his arms, cradling her like he would a freezing baby left alone in the world. Lilo opened her brown eyes lazily, grinning up at him as she huddled closer against his warmth.

"Sleep, my angel." He whispered to her. "I'll carry you home."

Lilo nodded tiredly then fell back asleep in his arms. Stitch carried her home, loving the feel of her body against his the whole time. He had missed having her close like this. 'You don't know what you got, until it's gone.' Those words were somewhat true, but a better phrase would be 'You don't know what you got, until it's gone, and then brought back to you.' That phrase couldn't have been more accurate. Though he loved Lilo with all of his heart before she died, living without her was a nightmare that he thought he would never awake from. It was during the time she hadn't been with him did he realize just how much he needed her, loved her, and wanted her. Now to have a second chance with her, to have her with him once again, his love for her strengthened. He had felt the loneliness, sorrow, and pain when he had to live without her and those three feelings were ones he never wanted to relieve again. He was going to protect Lilo at all costs. If he must die for her, then he would do it without a moment's thought. That girl meant that much to him.

They reached the house to see Nani, David, Jumba, and Pleakley had already fallen asleep. They had been laying around the beach longer than he thought. He and Lilo had napped under the sun and never awoke until nighttime. He carried Lilo up to the dome, where he laid her in their unmade bed. He slid in next to her, caressing her cheek with his hand. He kissed her lightly on the lips. He saw a small smile crawl across her face as she huddled closer to him. Stitch rested his head on top hers and closed his eyes to attempt to get some sleep.

Later in the night, Lilo opened her eyes because sleep just wouldn't come to her. Thinking she needed some warm milk, she kissed Stitch's nose lightly then slid out from his arms. Stitch moaned and awoke. Usually, he would be a heavy sleeper, but after that long nap down at the beach, he could be easily awoken.

"Lilo?" He whispered tiredly and reached to grip her hand.

"I can't sleep." She muttered.

Stitch smiled. "Let me help you go back to sleep." He responded cheekily as he tugged her back on top of him. His hands reached behind her ears, where he massaged her.

"Stitch." Lilo smiled. "As nice as this is, I am feeling thirsty. Just let me go have some milk then I'll return to you."

Stitch nodded, reached his hand behind her head, and descended her face to his. Lilo kissed his lips tenderly before pulling away. Stitch watched her leave the dome before tossing to face the wall.

Lilo crept silently into the kitchen. She flipped the switch and had to cover her eyes as the bright light penetrated her orbs. When her eyes adjusted to the light, she wandered over to the fridge to pull out her carton of milk. After setting that on the counter, she retrieved a glass from the cabinet. She lazily poured the white liquid into the glass then placed the glass in the microwave. She set it for thirty seconds and went to sit at the table.

She perked her ears at the sound of a click and the lights turned off. Lilo felt her heart thundering in her chest in fear. She wasn't afraid of the dark, it was the fact that someone turned off the lights that put her at unease.

"Stitch?" She asked in the dark. "Stitch? Was that you?" There was no response. "Stitch? Please, this isn't funny. Turn the lights back on. Please?" Still, there was no response. Lilo felt a cold chill sweep past her and this time she was afraid. "Stitch? AH!"

She shrieked as she was roughly pushed off the chair and onto the floor. Her attacker, cloaked in the darkness so she couldn't make out who was on top of her, sent a blow to her face to get her quiet. However, Lilo wailed louder and flung her limbs to hit the person on top of her. Lilo desperately reached up to claw at the face, but felt her hand instead intertwine with a long, thick, of what she assumed was the attacker's antennae. She yanked at it, causing her attacker to yelp in pain. Lilo immediately assumed it was a girl, for the yelp sounded so feminine that it was impossible for a boy to make.

That was when the lights flickered back on. Lilo gasped at her attacker. An experiment with rosy pink fur, curvaceous figure, and dark black eyes glared at her. "Angel!" She gasped once more in shock. Angel raised her hand to strike Lilo across the face until something blue and furry collided into her. Angel shook her head to see Stitch snarling on top of her.

"Angel!" Stitch growled. "What are you doing? Lilo's your friend! What's wrong with you?"

Angel smiled innocently and cupped his face in her hands. Stitch thought about pulling away, but his body was in so much shock that he couldn't move. Many questions flew through his mind and didn't realize that Angel's face was approaching closer to his. A loud bonks and stinging pain in his forehead made him jump back to reality as Angel's forehead connected harshly into his.

Stitch shook his head before feeling the little experiment kick him off her. Angel turned as she felt Lilo clutching her arm to keep her away from Stitch. Angel turned swiftly to grab the girl by the throat. Lilo coughed as Angel raised her in the air. Lilo dangled from the ground, remaining motionless so she wouldn't lose all her energy. She willed for Stitch to hurry and attack Angel before she blacks out. She could see black blotches obstructing her vision as the blood pounded in her head and her lungs stung painfully for the need of oxygen. Behind her distorted vision, she could see Stitch struggling to stand, clutching his stomach. He gasped at the scene in front of him. His face was the last thing Lilo saw before her eyes closed and consciousness left her.

Stitch ran up from behind Angel, wrapping his arms around her neck tightly. Angel scowled and bit into Stitch's arm. Stitch whined as he pulled away, rubbing the area her teeth had bitten. Angel dropped the unconscious Lilo on the floor before sauntering up to Stitch. She struck him with her fist into his nose, causing him to stumble backwards. A stream of magenta blood flowed down his nostril. He was torn between hurting her or ignoring her and tend to Lilo. She was a girl and his friend and if he did run to Lilo, there's no telling what she would do behind his back.

"Angel, I don't want to hurt you." Stitch replied.

Angel sneered. "Then stay out of my way."

She turned to pick up Lilo, but Stitch's hand gripping her arm stopped her. "Don't touch her. This is Lilo, your friend. Why would you want to hurt her?"

Angel growled as she turned in his arms and clawed him across his cheek. "Stitch, stay out of my way."

She raised her leg to knee him hard in the gut. Stitch felt the wind knock out of him and he fell to the floor, gasping for air. Quickly, Angel collected Lilo and took off with her into the night. Stitch stood to stop her, but it was already too late. Angel had disappeared into the lush green forest with Lilo.


	22. Chapter 22

"What is going on here!" Nani hollered as she, David, Jumba, and Pleakley rushed to the kitchen. Nani was cradling Hale who was wailing at all the commotion. Nani observed the kitchen where a microwave was beeping because the milk had been in there for thirty seconds, Stitch had a bloody nose, and a chair was lying on its side. Fearing the worst, she asked again in a much quieter voice. "Where's Lilo?"

"Angel." Stitch responded. "Angel took her."

Jumba and Pleakley gasped while Nani and David looked at each other in confusion. "How is that being true?" Jumba questioned to himself, but aloud for the group to hear. "624 was found innocent. How could she be one to take Little Girl? Something is not adding up."

Stitch sighed as he stared out into the night, where Angel had taken off with his dearest Lilo. "I don't know, but what I do know, is that we need to get Lilo back."

"You are not being wrong 626. Do you know where 624 took Little Girl?" Jumba asked.

Stitch shook his head. "No, but I'm sure a certain experiment can help us find her."

"Finder." Pleakley replied just as Jumba stated "158." simultaneously.

Nani passed Hale to David. "I'm going with you."

"Nani!" David protested. "You can't go."

"David, my little sister is out there in danger. I want to go find her and bring her back home." Nani stated firmly.

"Nani, you are a mother now. You can't go out there! You might get killed!" David yelled at her. "Just stay home."

Nani sighed exasperatedly, knowing the possibility of Lilo dead was high, but she wanted to ensure Lilo's safety. "David is right Nani." Stitch spoke softly. "Jumba, Pleakley, Finder and I will bring her home safely."

"What!" Pleakley cried. "What do you mean Jumba and me? I'm not going!"

Stitch scowled. "Oh yes you are!"

"Oh no I'm not!" Pleakley stated as he folded his arms across his chest. "Do I need to mention to you all the danger? It's evil and it's… well… dangerous!"

Stitch growled even louder as he moseyed over to the one eyed alien. "If you don't come, then I will stick my claw in your…" He clutched his orange dress. "gigantic…" He lowered his face to his and poked him near his single pupil. "eye." He growled thickly.

Pleakley responded with a gulp.

Meanwhile, Angel clutched a still unconscious Lilo to a huge castle that had been the home of experiment 300 AKA Spooky. She felt something fidget in her arms and looked down to see Lilo awakening. Lilo whispered her name in fright, but Angel just tilted her head back up and continued on her way. Lilo twisted her head to see an enormous black castle slowly coming closer.

Angel walked up the steps and kicked the door open. Lilo sneezed as she inhaled a wave of dust in her nostrils. She heard a creak and turned her head once more to see a lone figure walking down the stairs. The dim lights prevented the room from complete darkness. Therefore, Lilo couldn't tell who it was who was climbing down the stairs slowly.

"624?" He asked in a voice that sounded vaguely familiar to Lilo. "Why'd you bring her here?"

"626 caught me sir." Angel replied obediently. "I had to defend myself against him then take off running with her."

The figure slowly edged closer. "Oh really? So 626 should be on his way to get his _darling _Lilo?" He snarled.

Angel nodded. "Yes sir."

The figure smiled as he stepped into the light. Lilo gasped once more. "Bud?"

The orange face of Bud snapped back to her. "Did I give you permission to talk?" He asked as he struck her across the face. Angel felt a low growl form in her throat, but she was wise to bite it back. For some strange reason, she didn't appreciate that someone had hurt the girl she carried in her arms. "As I was saying, take her to the room and I'll deal with her later."

Angel nodded and left to walk up the stairs. Bud laughed nastily to himself. "Come on Stitch, I'll show you how it feels to have another broken heart."

As this was happening, Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley were following Finder who had his nose attached to the ground. Kixx, who heard it was Angel that had kidnapped Lilo. teamed up with them. Stitch looked up as Finder honked to see Spooky's castle.

_This is it. _Stitch thought to himself. _This is where all our questions will be answered._

They all walked up to the house and Stitch twisted the knob to enter the castle. He shivered as he remembered the last encounter he had in this terrifying building. Everything was silent as they all poured inside.

"Alright Finder, where is she?" Stitch asked.

Finder sniffed out Lilo's smell with his nose into the entryway to the living room. Everyone followed him as he led them to a darkened room. Suddenly, the lights turned on and Stitch could clearly see an unconscious Lilo on the velvety green couch. Stitch raced up to her, brushing his hand across her cheek. Her right side of her face tinged a sickly green from a bruise forming. A black patch surrounded around her left eye, which could only mean a shiner. Contusions marred her stomach and Stitch could tell she had been beaten. Two trails of blood streamed down her leg from claws embedding into her fur and raking down to her feet.

"Lilo." Stitch whispered as his heart pounded in his chest in fright. _Please don't be dead. I can't live without you again. Please Lilo, wake up. _"Lilo?" His voice now sounded as though he were sobbing. "Lilo!" He bowed his head to her chest, hoping to hear her sweet heart beat in his ears.

A tear leaked from his eye and drip down her bloodied chest. He felt her stir underneath him and straightened. Lilo moaned as her eye open. "Stitch? Stitch! Run! Get out of here." She murmured urgently.

Stitch shook his head in negative. "No, I'm not leaving you here."

"Please Stitch, I don't want to see you get hurt." Lilo replied.

"Stitch, so nice to see you again!" A male voice bellowed.

"Bud?" Stitch asked himself as he turned around.

Everyone else copied his action to see Bud standing in the doorway. His arms crossed over his chest and a smirk darkened his features. "Glad to see all of you could come."

"I knew you were up to no good!" Pleakley exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Where's Angel?" Stitch interrogated. Kixx looked eager to know as well.

As if on cue, Angel walked up from behind. "624? What are you being doing? Be getting away from him!"

Angel stared at the small, almost weak bundle on the couch. Her heart twisted in anger and pain. "Angel!" She snapped her head to Kixx's direction. "What's going on?"

"I bet all of you would love to hear the genius plan am I right?" Bud questioned. His only response was a round of glares from everyone but Lilo and Angel. "Well, it all started on a fine day when Arlene and I were watching you…" He pointed to Stitch. "playing with Lilo at the beach…"

FLASHBACK

_Laughter reached Bud and Arlene's ears and it interrupted their lunch. Arlene had recognized the laughter and turned away from her food. She turned her head to the beach where her heart sank at the sight of Stitch twirling Lilo in the air. She gulped sadly as he laid Lilo on the ground and climbed on top of her. Lilo giggled as his lips sealed hers and they kissed passionately on the sand. Arlene licked her parched lips, wishing she were in Lilo's place._

"_Arlene?" A voice from behind asked._

_Arlene turned her head to her friend. "Hi Bud." She sighed._

"_What's the matter?" Bud asked as he approached her._

_A tear leaked from Arlene's eye as she pointed her claw to the little girl and Stitch on the beach. Bud felt jealousy burn inside him. That entire jealousy directing straight at Stitch. Bud had been Arlene's lover such a long time ago. She had broken up with him because her feelings towards Stitch had developed into what she thought was love. She had gotten over their break up, but he had not. He wished she would love him again, did everything to make her fall back into his arms. Still however, no matter how wonderful he treated her, she still desired Stitch. Even if Bud gave her the world and Stitch just gave her a speck of dirt, she would always dream of Stitch._

_Arlene glared bitterly at Lilo's way, yearning the girl would just drop dead all of a sudden. That way, Stitch would become pathetic and lonely without her and she would be there to get him back on his feet. She would be there to make him smile, laugh, and he love her for what she did for him. However, Lilo wasn't dying and Stitch didn't need Arlene to make him happy. He had Lilo doing all that for him and he was already deeply in love with her._

"_Sometimes I just wish that girl would die." Arlene muttered bitterly._

_Bud grinned. "I think we can make that happen."_

_Arlene turned her head to him. "W-What do you mean?"_

"_You got a blaster don't you?" Bud asked._

_Arlene nodded. "So what-" Arlene paused when she caught on to Bud's words. She gasped. "Bud! No, I'm not a murderer!"_

"_No, you're not, but I can be at times." Bud replied._

_Arlene looked over at Lilo nervously. "I don't know about this Bud."_

"_Just trust me okay." Bud said._

_Arlene nodded reluctantly. "Okay." _

END OF FLASHBACK

"So, it was you!" Stitch shouted at him. "But, why didn't Fibber beep when you lied about killing Lilo?"

"I didn't lie." Bud smirked. "You just didn't let me finish."

"You just said it was you!" Stitch yelled at him.

"It was me at first, but then it turned to Angel." Bud replied as he turned his attention to Angel. "You see, it would be so easy to use Fibber and make us ask if we killed Lilo. Therefore, instead of us, I turned it to Angel. Let me explain…"

Bud didn't need to explain though, Angel's memories suddenly kicked in. Just as he relayed the story, Angel visualized it in her mind.

FLASHBACK

_Angel watched Kixx as he lifted a forty pound weight. His large, firm muscles bulged out as he lifted the weight up and down. Angel sighed dreamily, her thoughts containing of him and her together. Suddenly, a hand flew over her mouth. She bit down on the hand, but her aggressor didn't relent. She struggled in his grasp until he tossed her to the ground behind the gym._

_Angel rubbed her eyes to get a clear view of her surroundings. It was dark saved for the light of the moon illumining the night. That bright light shone on the face of her enemy and she sighed in relief. "Bud? You scared me." She chuckled to herself, placing her hand over her heart. "I thought you were… never mind. It's a crazy thought."_

_Bud's eyes stared at her as she stood. "Don't do that again. What brings you out here?"_

"_I need you to do a favor for me." Bud replied._

_Angel smiled. "Anything. What can I do?"_

"_First off, listen to this cool song. I downloaded it in this MP3." Bud replied as he pulled out a blue MP3 player with the headphones attached. _

_Angel looked resistant as he held it out to her. "What's the song?"_

"_Just listen to it." Bud acted as though he were pleading._

_He reached over to cover Angel's ears with the headphones. Angel stood there submissively as all sound from the outside was hushed. Bud grinned wickedly as he tapped on the play button. Angel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when she didn't hear any music. Instead of hearing music, she heard a voice. Her voice. Angel squirmed when she realized the song he was showing her, was her song that turned all experiments to evil. _

_Bud, realizing that she understood his actions, extended his lower arms to slither around her waist and used his primary hands to press the soft pads of the headphones into her ears. Angel fought back in his grip, but as the song progressed, her struggling desisted. Finally, she was listening to the song. Anger, hate, and a sense of vengeance overpowered her soul. Bud smirked as he heard her growling._

_Noting his job was done, he turned off the MP3 and removed the headphones. Angel swished to attack him, but he leapt at her, pinning her to the ground. "Now Angel, I'm not the source of your anger. Come with me. I have a job for you."_

_Angel sneered at him, but allowed him to help her on her feet. Bud grasped her hand as though to make sure she didn't run away. He led her through the tall trees of the forest until they reached Arlene's house. He rapped his fist against the door until a blue experiment answered. _

"_Angel?" Arlene asked curiously. "Why'd you bring her?" She snarled, remembering all the jealousy she felt towards the rosy experiment for stealing Stitch's affections with her glamour and charm._

_Bud smiled menacingly. "Angel is going to do us a favor."_

"_Favor?" Arlene asked as she perked up her ears. "What kind of favor?"_

_Bud gripped Angel's arm and made both her and Arlene follow him up the stairs. Bud directed the girls into Arlene's room where her blaster hung from the wall. Bud led Angel closer to it. Angel reached out her hand to it, gripping the cold handle. She observed it in her bare hands._

_She didn't respond when Bud threw his arm around her shoulders. "She is going to kill Lilo."_

_Angel looked up at him in shock. Arlene beamed and nodded her head. Bud had a wicked grin splitting his lips. "W-When?" Angel interrogated._

"_Tonight. Come on." Bud said as he motioned for Angel to follow him. Angel held the blaster in one hand while her other hand clenched Bud's._

_It was quite a long journey, but they had strolled past the lush green forest and to the blue structure that was the Pelekai residence. Bud gripped Angel's arm and whirled her around so they were beside the house. Bud and Angel's ears stood rigid as a conversation started inside._

"_I need peanut butter!" A womanly voice yelled. "And I need it now. Oh come on David! I'm pregnant! Don't you care about me and little Hale? Do you? If you do, then come on to the store. I need peanut butter!"_

"_Alright." A second voice, which sounded more manly, cooed. "Alright. Let's go get the peanut butter Nani. Come on sweetie, let's go." They heard shuffling then a man sighing. "Stupid hormones."_

"_You know, you are being part of problem surfer boy." A Russian accent replied._

_All talking were deceased until another voice piped up. "I think I'll go too. There's a new style in the catalog that I like to try out."_

_Bud and Angel crept closer to the bushes as they spotted a woman with a slightly round belly, a man, and an alien with one eye ambling to the small red buggy. Angel turned her head to Bud. "Now?" She asked rashly._

_Bud shook his head. "There's still Jumba and Stitch in there." He whispered more to himself than to her, but Angel heard it._

_As though on cue, they heard a male alien's voice. "What about you?"_

_The question was answered with a Russian accent. "Evil Genius going to work in ship. New project in there that is waiting for completion. Ahaha!"_

"_Shut up Jumba!" The male alien's voice scowled. "Lilo's asleep! Do not wake her." _

"_Sorry." The voice chuckled. "Now, what will you be doing?"_

"_I'll go after Nani and David. Nani says all she wants is peanut butter, but she ends up buying loads more." The second alien proclaimed annoyingly._

_The two experiments heard the sound of a door opening and turned their heads to see a blue alien bouncing down the steps. Bud and Angel watched him as he climbed inside the small red car. There was more chatter until the little buggy drove off and disappeared in the darkness._

"_This is perfect!" Bud muttered. "Now all we have to do is wait until-" He cut himself off when he heard the door opening once more and shutting. He turned his head as did Angel to see the massive sized alien vanishing into the green foliage. Once he was out of their way, Bud grasped Angel's arm. "You ready?"_

_Angel nodded impetuously. Bud led her up the tiny row of stairs and twisted the knob to open the door. He growled in frustration when he realized it was locked. He banged on it twice until Angel, sensing his temper, lifted her plasma gun and blew a shot at it. The hot blast swung the door open and the two experiments stepped inside. Bud kicked the door to close it while Angel ran up the elevator. _

_There, she discovered a little girl running over to the window. "Who are you?" The girl demanded._

_Angel didn't respond to her. Instead, she raised her gun so the barrel was directed at her stomach. She fired a shot. A sizzling green ball of plasma connected to Lilo's stomach, creating a huge gash. Blood splattered on the blaster as Lilo fell backwards on the bed. Angel perked her ears when she heard an intruder racing to the house. Angel leapt out the window, scaling down the wall of the house to the Earth ground below. There, she met up with Bud._

_Bud lifted an enquiring brow. Angel nodded to his unvoiced question. Bud grinned before grabbing her by the arm again and forcing her to follow him. They found themselves at a hospital. Bud dragged her through the doors and led her up the stairs on the second floor. They passed through the offending door and Bud continued to lead her down the hall. Finally, they reached a door that read "Amenesio's Office."_

_Bud knocked at the door, which was answered by Amnesio. He fluttered in the air, his bee like wings humming as he stared at them. "Angel? Bud?" He asked._

"_Amnesio, can you make her forget this night?" Bud asked pleadingly. "Something happened to her tonight and she needs to forget it."_

"_Gaba tasoopa?" Amnesio asked._

"_It's too personal." Bud replied. "Just make her forget tonight!" _

_Amnesio thought about it, but shrugged it off. He blinked at her, causing two red eyes to take over black. Those red eyes beamed at Angel's. She could feel her memory from today slowly slip her mind. Dark blotches obscured her vision. She fell forwards on the floor and passed out._

_Bud carried her out the hospital and into the night. He was insistent on getting her home where she would just forget everything until he heard someone behind him._

"_Bud? What happened to Angel!"_

_Bud turned around to see the muscular figure of Kixx. "I found her." Bud lied as he held her out to him. "I was just walking and I just… found her."_

_Kixx reached out for her body. "Thanks Bud, I'll take her home."_

_With that, Kixx vanished with Angel and left a smirking Bud all alone. _

END OF FLASHBACK

Stitch, Lilo, Jumba, Pleakley, Kixx, and Finder remained silent. They could only blink as though trying to absorb the information. Stitch stepped closer to Lilo, confusion etched into his features. "I don't understand though." Stitch replied. "Why didn't Fibber beep when Angel said she didn't kill you, but she did?"

"Fibber can only detect liars." Lilo breathed out in wonder, still digesting the story. "Angel said what she thought was the truth."

Angel felt a surge of rage slap at her being as she grasped Bud's arm and whirled him to face her. Bud looked devoid of his arrogance and fear was present on his face. _Blitznac! I forgot that I shouldn't remind her of that night. Crap she looks mad. Now she knows what I did._

Angel clenched her hand into a fist and crashed it into his face. "You!" She screamed as he stumbled backwards. She punched him across the cheek. "are nothing!" She kicked him in the stomach. "but a stupid," She punched him in the head, causing him to fall backwards. 'careless, jerk!"

He growled angrily at the pink experiment. He pushed himself up abruptly and swiftly caught her around the waist. He brought out his extra arms, which held Arlene's blaster. Everyone gasped as he poked the blaster at her side.

"I am bulletproof." Angel snarled.

Bud chuckled. "Really? Are you poisoning proof too?"

Angel's ears descended behind her head. "Poison?"

"Yes. This isn't plasma that's loaded in here, this is poison. Did you really think I would bring a blaster when I know all of you are bulletproof? Really, that would just be stupid don't you think?" Bud laughed.

"Let her go!" Kixx snarled.

Bud nodded. "Right. She isn't the one I want dead." He raised his blaster to Lilo. "She is."

He fired a shot at the helpless Lilo. Lilo closed her eyes, bracing for the poison that would surely end her life. For good.


	23. Chapter 23

Blackness met her closed eyes, but she didn't feel the pain. _Am I dead now? _She asked herself as she slowly opened her eyes. Too her surprise, she saw Bud with the blaster in his hand and a smirk across his face. She looked down on the floor in absolute shock. Stitch laid on the couch in front of her with his eyes closed and a gash in his stomach. He had taken the shot for her.

"Stitch!" Lilo gasped as she slid off the couch. She ignored the searing pain in her side as she did so. She landed next to Stitch's side, tears cascading down her cheeks. "Stitch?" She whispered, hoping to get a response from him. She didn't. "Stitch? Oh please Stitch, wake up. Don't leave me behind." She whimpered and laid her head on his chest, away from the pool of blood that was now flowing down his sides like slivers of rivers.

"Little Girl, let Evil Genius look over him." Jumba said from behind. Lilo scooted to make room for him, but didn't move too far from him. Jumba knelt down in the tiny spot and reached over to Stitch's arm. "He's not dead Little Girl, but he is being hurt. Badly."

"Well, that's what he gets for getting in the way." Bud's voice sneered from the entrance. "Don't look so sad Lilo, I'll let you join him!" He raised his gun at her and fired so quickly nobody could react. However, nothing came from the blaster except for a small click. "Blitznac!" He shouted to himself. "I forgot I only had one shot in this stupid thing!"

He looked up as Angel, Kixx, and Finder began advancing on him. "I'll rip you to shreads for what you've done!" Kixx snarled viciously. Angel nodded in agreement beside him.

Bud chuckled sinisterly. "Did you really think I would fight all of you by myself? Yeah right!"

Just then, Hammerhead, Plasmoid, and Heat entered from behind. Plasmoid leered back and with his tail, fired a small green ball of plasma at the experiments. Finder, Angel, and Kixx dodged out of the way, sending the little ball of plasma smashing into the wall behind them.

All three experiments moved forward with sneers on their faces. Kixx, Angel, and Finder leered at them, preparing for battle. Heat lunged a fireball that flew over their heads and crashed into the wall. Angel, Kixx, and Finder turned their heads to look at the damage for a split second, but that was all the time the evil experiments needed. Heat, Hammerhead, and Plasmoid leapt to battle them.

Meanwhile, Lilo sat hunched over Stitch's unconscious body. She stroked his head and his ears, wishing he would just suddenly open his eyes and smile at her. She glared at the calm Bud standing in the entrance as the experiments fought. She noticed that every time Angel would try to sing her good song, she was instantly kicked in the stomach and pummeled. Kixx would try assisting her, but would be distracted by another experiment leaping at him and picking a fight with him. Finder was brawling with Hammerhead. It was only Stitch, Lilo, and Bud that were experiments and watching the fight. Lilo stared at Bud with rage blazing through her eyes. Calmly, she stood and walked over to him. Bud turned his head at her and sneered, Lilo returned the look with a sneer of her own.

When she got close enough, she delivered a crushing blow to his face. Bud held his wounded nose in the palm of his hand, glaring at Lilo through the corner of his eye. Lilo stood there, waiting for him to attack her. He responded by punching her deep within the gut. Lilo shrieked as the pain bubbled in her stomach. Bud cupped her cheeks with his hands and crashed his forehead against hers. Lilo fell over on her back, rubbing her forehead. Bud climbed on top of her, his hands grasping her throat and squeezing it. Lilo clawed desperately at his face, leaving slash marks that were dripping with blood. Finally, her flailing claws caught him in the eye. He moaned at the sharp claws penetrating his pupil and paused his action. That was all the time Lilo needed. While he was defenseless, she flipped him over on his back.

Bud looked at her through watery eyes. Lilo rained punches on his face, hoping he would at least fall unconscious. Unfortunately, Bud was far stronger than she could ever be. Though her beatings were mind blowing, he wasn't fazed for long. He clutched her wrists and threw her off him. Lilo skid across the floor, but immediately stood to prepare herself. Bud ran at Lilo and she at him. They met each other in the middle and commenced a dangerous dance. A dance that involved kicking, punching, and ducking to avoid any of these. Bud dropped to the ground unexpectedly, twirled on the floor, and with his leg out, tripped Lilo. Lilo fell on the ground and he came up to her. Lilo clutched his ankle and tossed him away from her.

Lilo dashed to his side to attack him while he was down, but he immediately rose. He bowed his head and raced into her stomach. Lilo gasped for even a tiny bit of air, but Bud didn't give her the chance to breathe after that painful head butt. He instantly crushed her face with a blow, causing her to stumble. He reached out for her antennae and yanked her head back until he heard a crack. Lilo whimpered as he let her drop to the floor. She laid there, helpless and in agony. He smirked down at her and began rocking her with swift kicks on her side. He motioned Hammerhead and Heat to come to him and help him, leaving Plasmoid to fend on his own.

"Hold her." Bud commanded. The two foul experiments complied. Hammerhead snatched her wrists while Heat wrapped his hands around her ankles. "Do what you can to make her feel... Pain." Bud whispered angrily. Lilo's all of a sudden boldness had irked him and he wanted her disciplined.

Heat and Hammerhead nodded. Hammerhead extended his claws and penetrated her soft fur. Lilo bit her lip to hide her fear and torment. If they were going to pound her, she was not going to give them the nasty pleasure of seeing her at her weak moment. She wasn't even going to shed a tear for what they would do to her. As Hammerhead's claws punctured her wrists deeper, Heat got into the action. He clenched his eyes shut and all his fire power surged through her being. Lilo convulsed in their grip as the flaming feeling coursed through her body, tearing her apart, bumping into every nerve that almost caused tears to drain from her eyes. Lilo bit her lip harder to keep the tears at bay. She was biting her lip so hard that finally, her teeth pierced her lips, causing magenta blood to dribble down her chin.

As if that wasn't enough pain, Bud joined in the action. His fists crashed against her body continuously. Lilo almost gave her stubborn pride and scream in agony, but her pride wouldn't let her. Hammerhead and Heat stretched her body out to the point where she was afraid they would tear her in half. Still though, she took it on. As Bud pounded her body with bone crushing blows, Hammerhead plunged his hammer like head into her forehead. Lilo lost all feeling at that moment. Darkness once more overtook her vision, sending her into a dark world where she was so familiar with. Once she had passed out, Hammerhead and Heat dropped her. Bud reached for her throat, ready to strangle her to death. He didn't get that far.

He scowled as something hard crashed into his head. He looked down to see the blaster he had used on Stitch spinning around on the floor. He looked up to see Pleakley's indignant face. He growled once more, this time deeper to signal to the alien he was now agitated. Pleakley, realizing he had gone a bit too far, backed away from the seething experiment slowly.

Bud leapt at Pleakley, but was stopped by a thick net engulfing around him. He struggled in the bag, but the material was too durable for him to claw through. _Oh well. I've done my part. Both Lilo and Stitch are dead. I've avenged you my Arlene. _He thought before ceasing all frantic actions. His eyes closed softly and he dozed off in the bag, proud of what he had accomplished tonight.

Hammerhead, Plasmoid, and Heat raced over to Bud to untie the net. However, they were stopped by a singing voice. At first they resisted Angel's beautiful siren voice converting them to good, but as the song progressed, they didn't have much of a choice but to listen. They felt all evil escape their souls, leaving the experiments they were known to be.

"Whew!" Pleakley sighed in relief. "I'm glad that's over."

"But… Lilo." Angel murmured worriedly at the unconscious Lilo on the floor. "And Stitch." She turned her attention to Stitch, who was still unconscious like his lover and with blood forming all around him.

"They will be needing immediate attention." Jumba replied and bent over to lift Lilo. He checked for her pulse, a smile crossing his face when he felt her pulse beating. "Little Girl is very much alive. 626 on the other hand… may be requiring a lot more care than Little Girl. He is being on, as humans say, 'brink of death.' 601, could you please be carrying him while Evil Genius handles Little Girl?"

Kixx nodded and leaned down to scoop Stitch into his muscular arms. Angel peered over his shoulder from time to time, hoping that her male friend would at least stir. She was assured Lilo was going to be fine, now she was worried about Stitch.

Jumba, Pleakley, Kixx, and Angel arrived at the Pelekai house with the two unconscious bodies of Lilo and Stitch. Nani was hysterical when she looked over Lilo's beaten body, but Jumba assured her it was Stitch they needed to worry about. Jumba placed Lilo's body on top of her bed and took Stitch to the ship. Everyone except for Lilo, were down at the ship asking Jumba frantically if Stitch was going to make it.

Two hours later, Lilo began to moan and stir on top of her bed. Her eyes slowly opened to see the dark ceiling above her. She looked around to see that she was back at home all safe. She sighed with relief and flopped back on the bed. She briefly wondered why Stitch wasn't with her, then she remembered. Stitch had been injected with fatal poison that could very well end his life.

She jumped out of the bed, but such a rash action caused a bit of pounding inside her head. She froze for a second to get her bearings straight before racing down the elevator. She noticed her house was vacant, vacant as in there were nobody around. She dashed out the door and to the ship. She ran up the ramp, seeing her big sister standing in front of a closed door. Pleakley and David sat alone, playing with a befuddled Hale. Kixx was holding Angel as she cried into his shoulder.

"Nani?" Lilo choked.

Nani turned and smiled with relief. "Oh Lilo! I was so worried." She knelt down as Lilo raced into her arms. Nani stroked her little sister's fur.

"Nani… is Stitch?" She couldn't finish the sentence.

Nani sighed. "I don't know baby. Jumba has been in there for a while. I'm not too sure what's happening."

A tear escaped from Lilo's eye, cascading down her cheek. "He took that shot for me. He got in the way. Why would he do that!"

"Maybe Stitch thought it wouldn't hurt him." Nani replied. "Or maybe, he cared about you so much that he didn't want to lose you again."

Lilo buried herself into her sister's red shirt and began to weep. "Oh please make him alright." She murmured through her tears. "Please I need him. Don't take him from me please!"

Just then, Jumba stepped out of the room. Everyone was hoping to see a smile on his face and a nod of his head that indicated Stitch was going to pull through. However, his posture was different and nothing good ever comes out of that posture. His shoulders sagged. His limbs just hanging as though he were very exhausted. What shocked everyone, was all the blood on his clothes. His face was just expressionless. When he spoke, everyone could detect the loss of hope in his tone. "Blood is coming out through mouth now." He didn't give anyone the chance to absorb this information, but instead, continued on. "Poison has already spread through 626's bloodstream. It is shutting down most of his organs. He is being alive as of this moment, but… we may have to be saying goodbye now. There is being big chance 626 will not make it through the night."

Lilo gasped devastated. She pulled herself away from the comfort of her sister's embrace and raced into the room behind the sulking alien. Jumba closed the door behind her, knowing she needed some alone time with the one she loved more than anything. Lilo reached Stitch's bed side, her heart aching more with every beep. Her lover laid on the bed underneath a bloodstained blanket. She reached out her leg to spin the spinning stool over to his bed side. She sat on the stool, her chin resting on the sheets. Her hand reached to his and she laced her fingers through his, bringing his hand to her lips. She gently kissed each knuckle on his finger, hoping he would make some sort of movement.

To her relief, she heard him groan. She lifted her head to see his head rotating back and forth. She perked in her seat, hoping his eyes would just suddenly pop open. However, his eyelids gradually widened until she could see his very dark pupils. Stitch stirred underneath the bloodstained sheets, turning his head to see her. Lilo smiled at him and he grinned back at her, but weakly.

"Lilo…" Stitch moaned. "Are you…okay?"

Lilo nodded. "You should be worrying about yourself though." Lilo responded with a low chuckle. "You're a mess."

Stitch shrugged. "No-noth-ing ne-ew…r-right?" He whispered feebly with a small smile.

Lilo giggled. "That is your character."

They laughed together, but with Stitch only giving a tiny chuckle. After their laughing ceased, a silence loomed over them. Suddenly, Stitch began to speak in a more serious tone. "W-What's my… my… con-con…dit-tion?"

"You'll be okay." Lilo responded hastily, trying to not give up her hope. "Jumba will find a cure. And… you'll be okay." She said as she grasped his hand tighter.

"Lilo, w-what d-did J-J-Jumba… s-say?" Stitch asked.

Lilo sighed. "He said… you probably w-won't…make it." She whispered the last part in a slightly downcast tone. "But I know you will! You're experiment 626! No dose of poison's going to shut you down right?" Stitch responded her by bowing his head. "Why'd you do it!" She suddenly yelled at him, causing him to twist his head back to look at her. She was pounding her fists on the bed while sobbing inconsolably. Stitch clutched her hand as tight as his meager strength would allow him to.

He tugged gently on her wrist. "Lilo, l-look… at me." He murmured to her. Lilo raised her tearful eyes at him. He pulled her closer gingerly. "C-come…he-here." Lilo stood and approached the bed as close as she could. She sat on the corner of the bed and Stitch grasped her sides, lifted her weakly, and set her on his lap. He outstretched his arms to her, as though trying to get her to lay on top of him, which was exactly what he wanted her to do.

"Stitch, I don't want to hurt you." Lilo replied reluctantly.

"Y-you w-won't… hurt me." Stitch breathed out. "C-Come… come… o-on."

Lilo slowly and carefully laid her weight on top of him. At his unexpected groan, she lifted herself by placing her elbows on either side of him. Stitch snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her down on top of him. Lilo flushed at the feeling of his ocean blue fur blending in with her cherry colored fur. She leaned her head down to nuzzle into the crook of his neck. Stitch caressed her ears. A lump formed in Lilo's throat when she realized this may be the very last night she would be in the arms of her lover. This might be the last night she would ever feel the warmth of his arms or drown in his blissful kisses. This may be the last night she would ever see him again. Stitch felt her hands clutching desperately at his shoulders. "Don't leave me. Please."

Stitch stroked her ears faster to sooth her. "L-Lilo, I… d-don't w…want t-to, bu-but,…" He gasped as a tightening feeling grasped his chest. Lilo pulled away in shock at his surprising intake of air. She watched helplessly as the one she loved coughed into his palm. Lilo put her hand on his chest, rubbing him up and down and leaning close into his face. It looked as though she were trying to give him every breath in her lungs to him, just so he could have air, as though she were giving him her life. He turned his head from her and spluttered out drops of his blood on the cold, metallic floor. Lilo almost wept at the sight of him.

"I'm hurting you!" She gasped as she clambered off him. Stitch reached to pull her back onto him, but she wouldn't let him. She almost slid off the bed had Stitch not shot his arm out to wrap around her waist. "Stitch, I don't want to hurt you anymore!"

"Y-You're n-not… hurt-ing…. M-me." Stitch replied, desperately trying to get her back in the bed with him. He wanted her near him because he just had that feeling this was going to be his last night on Earth. He wanted to spend this entire night with Lilo at his side and him touching her, memorizing every contour of her body and her angelic face, stare deep into her brown eyes and revel at the love that was all for him. He wanted her face to be the last sight, her lips to be the last taste, her voice to be the last sound, and her body against his to be the last touch. He just wanted her tonight. Not Angel, not Nani, not Jumba, no one but her. "I… want… y-you. He-ere. N-need… y-you he-re. W-With. M-me. Y-you m-make… m-me be-bett…better."

Lilo terminated her struggling at his pleading words. This allowed him to pull her back on the bed. She flipped to face him on her side. Stitch slowly leaned up, ignoring the pain that protested him in doing this action. Lilo, seeing his face twist with agony, put her hand out to stop him. "Stitch, stop. You're hurting yourself." She mumbled gently.

Stitch shook his head and with plenty of struggling, he was lying on his side. Lilo watched him vigilantly the whole time, hoping he wouldn't strain himself. He laid on his side, facing her at last. His arms came up to wrap around her waist, pulling her into him. Lilo nestled her head underneath his chin. Her tears beginning to dampen that spot where his shoulder and neck meet.

Stitch lifted his head from her, tilting her chin upwards with his finger. Lilo stared into his dark eyes. She could see the pain in his eyes and it caused her heart to wrench, but there was something else in there. As his head came closer, she realized it was love. He had love in his eyes and it was all for her. She knew that he wanted her to know that he would always love her no matter what happens. She knew that even if he died tonight, he would still be contented with the fact that he made his love for her known to her before he left. These thoughts suddenly vanished from her mind as his lips claimed hers. Lilo scooted into his embrace, kissing him gently. Stitch's tongue licked her lips and she allowed him entry. She held him close as he kissed her with all he felt for her. She cuddled close to him, hoping she was making it known to him how much she loved him and that no matter the outcome, if he pulls through or not, he will always have a huge spot in her heart and there he will be. Forever and for always.

He was the first to pull away, though hesitantly, for his lungs were screaming at him for oxygen. He pecked Lilo's lips as he pulled away, not ready to let go of her yet. Lilo, knowing he needed every bit of strength he can get, pulled herself away from him. Stitch's eyes scanned over her body and smiled when they reached her face. She smiled at him too as he leaned over to peck her on the lips.

He inhaled sharply, ignoring the throbbing in his chest. "I love you." He exhaled the phrase so he wouldn't have to stutter it out. He wanted her to know it clear and bluntly. He loved her. Nothing was ever going to change that.

Lilo stroked his ears. "I love you too." She said this slowly. Not slowly as though speaking to a child, but pausing after every word she said. She didn't want him to forget it. She wanted those four words embedded in his mind, burned into his skull, to keep reminding him of what she probably wouldn't be able to say to him again after this night. She loved him. Even if his life ended before morning, she would still be comforted with the fact that at least he knew how much she loved him. Dead or not, nothing would ever change her feelings about him.

"P-promise… me." Stitch began.

"Promise you what?" Lilo asked in an almost silent whisper as she ran her hand over his chest.

"W-When I… die," Stitch started.

Lilo raised her head to his, shaking her head in denial. "Don't you say that!" She growled. "You're not going to die!"

Stitch caressed her behind her floppy ears. "I-If then. I-if I… go. P-pro…promise me… you…you w-will f-find…. Some-one…else. D-on't m-make th-the s-ame mis-take I-I-I…did." His breathing rate was beginning to increase rapidly. His teeth sunk into his bottom lip, drawing blood. Lilo tried soothing him by caressing his ears. However, her fingers worked sloppily since she was so consumed with worry.

"It'll pass." Lilo whispered soothingly to him. "Just stay with me alright? You'll be okay. It'll be over soon. Shhh."

After a couple minutes of feeling as though he were being ripped apart, Stitch relaxed into the pillows as the pain ceased to hurt him. He laid there, breathing and perspiring heavily. Lilo was there with him, as close as she possibly could be, stroking his ears and whispering calming words to him. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned in to kiss her once more. Lilo acquiesced his kiss willingly. He pulled away, kissing her forehead, eyes, nose, chin, until he kissed her neck gently and leaned his head back on the pillow.

"D-don't make… the s-same mis-take… I d-id." Stitch murmured to her. "Fall in love… but… don't f-force your…self to… l-love… him."

"I won't have to love anybody. You will be fine alright! Stop talking like you're going to die, because you're not! You're going to be okay, we're going to be together, end of story! I love you Stitch and my love for you will help you get through this. I love you so much." Lilo sobbed into his shoulder.

"I… l-ove y-you too." He sighed. "Th-that's… why… why I… t-took th-that sh-shot. I did… it for… you." He moaned loudly as the soreness came back. "Argh! Th-this h-hurts." He said with a small smile.

"I'll take your place." Lilo volunteered. "You know that? I would be so glad to trade spots with you. I would give anything to be laying on that bed in pain and with you all fine and not hurting."

"I-I know… you would." Stitch stuttered as he reached his hand on her back, stroking her soft fur. " But… what you…d-don't kn-ow… is th-at I lo-love y-you too much… to l-let you."

Lilo laid back down in his arms, scooting into his chest. Stitch trapped her in his embrace, running his hands up and down, trying to memorize her with touch rather than sight. Lilo closed her eyes as she let herself go into his sweet caresses. After a minute, his ministrations stopped and she could feel his lips on hers. She returned the kiss, running her hands down his back and up to his neck.

Lilo felt him pull away and when she opened her eyes, she noticed they were closed. Panic struck her at the thought he could be dead, but relaxed when she felt his hand squeezing hers. "You look tired."

Stitch nodded. "I-I a-am t-tired."

She kissed his forehead. "I'll let you go to sleep then." She didn't want to let him go as she knew this might be the end of everything she ever had with him. However, she knew that there was a time when she would have to say goodbye and unfortunately, that time has come. She leaned upwards to escape his arms, but he held her tightly. Lilo turned her head to look at him. "Stitch, I thought you said you were tired."

"I… want y-you… n-next to… to me." Was all he responded with.

Lilo grinned and leaned back into his arms. She threw her arms around his neck, letting him know she wasn't going anywhere. Stitch smiled even though he could feel himself growing weaker. He was starting to have difficulties reopening his eyes. He knew his time was coming. "I love you." He heard Lilo say.

_I love you too. Never weep for me forever, but never forget me either. _Stitch thought as he felt his life slowly ebb away. The smile frozen on his lips.


	24. Chapter 24

Lilo realized he didn't respond to her. At first she thought he fell asleep, but when she opened her eyes, she noticed he wasn't breathing. Terror gripped her as the machine beside them began to beep rapidly. She knew this meant his heart was slowly giving out on him. She flipped him to his back, pounding at his chest to get his heart starting again.

"Stitch!" She screamed in agony. "Stitch! Please wake up! Please! Don't you leave me!" She shrieked. "Please… I love you! Someone… Help!" She screeched in her loudest voice as possible.

Her screaming caused the door to the room be flung open. Nani raced in with David, Angel, Kixx and Pleakley following behind her. Hale's high-pitched wailing in fear of all this turmoil could be heard in the background. Nani dashed to her sister's side as did David. Nani picked up Lilo and held her to her chest. Lilo released a sob into her sister's red shirt. David was attempting to calm her down by massaging her ears. It failed to work for her though. All she could think about was how Stitch was stroking her ears just a moment ago.

"Where's Jumba!" Lilo demanded. "He's still alive, the beeping is still going. Someone get Jumba! Please hurry!" Lilo screeched as she turned her head back to Stitch. "Don't you leave me Stitch! Don't leave me behind! I love you! I love you! I love you." She went back to crying into Nani's neck, soaking the tan skin with her tears.

Just then, Jumba entered the room with a huge smile and a vile containing a blue-green liquid in his massive hand. "I have found the antidote!" He replied triumphantly then noticed the sobbing Lilo and the beeping beside Stitch's machine. He hurried over to Stitch's side. He quickly separated his lips and forced the liquid down his throat. Lilo and the others watched on with hopeful gazes.

After the contents were empty, Jumba leaned back with a wistful face. The beeping continued at its fast pace. Lilo didn't know if her heart was pummeling in her rib cage or if it stopped. She didn't know and quite frankly, she didn't care. All she could think about, was Stitch on that bed barely hanging on to life. She felt her sister squeeze her tighter as the beeping continued. To everyone's dread, the machine emitted a droning beep, indicating Stitch was reaching his end.

"No!" Lilo screamed as she thrashed about in Nani's arms. Nani tried to steady her, but ended up dropping her sister on the ground. Lilo recovered quickly and raced to Stitch's side. "Please! Don't leave me! I love you. Please… Stitch… oh please don't take him from me. I'll take his place… I'll give anything just to keep him here with me. Or even trade places with him. Just please… I can't stand to say goodbye anymore." Just then the beeping grew deceased, meaning Stitch was gone.

She felt Angel's hands on her shoulders, but she didn't care. All she wanted was Stitch. No one but Stitch. "He's gone Lilo. I'm so sorry." Angel whispered to her.

"No." Lilo murmured. "No! He's not gone! He's right here! Please, Stitch, prove them wrong! Please." However, as time passed, she was beginning to lose hope as well.

Angel gave her shoulders a tight grasp of comfort, but it didn't work. The girl was now inconsolable. She had her heart broken once and just when that person mended it, that person left her too. She couldn't believe what was happening to her. She sunk to her knees as the tears rolled freely down her face. She felt Angel hug her from behind but, it didn't do anything. Nothing would ever make it okay again. She gave into Angel's embrace, but she didn't feel that comfort Angel was desperately trying to give her.

"Oh Lilo… is there anything I can do for you baby." Nani asked.

"No." Lilo murmured against Angel's thick fur. "Nothing can be done. Nothing will bring him back." She broke down into obnoxious wails and this time, it took the entire family, with the exception of Hale and Stitch, to kneel down and wrap all of their arms around her. "He can't be gone." Lilo mumbled. "He can't be."

As Lilo sobbed into Angel's fur, they heard a slight beeping coming from the machine. Lilo's ears stood as she turned her head to face the bed. Her heart leapt in hope as the beeping gradually increased in its volume. Lilo pushed herself out of her family's embrace to reach Stitch's bedside. She grabbed his hand, stroking her thumb along his finger. "Stitch?"

She heard him take an intake of breath and felt his hand clench hers. "Lilo…" He moaned as he twisted his head to her. He opened his eyes to see her smiling. "What… happened?"

She didn't respond to his question except a kiss on the lips. Stitch held her close as she practically crushed her lips onto his, almost as though they were melding each other's lips with their own. Nani laughed with delight as she turned to David to give him a quick kiss to relieve her excitement. Kixx tilted Angel's chin to capture her lips with his as well. Pleakley, feeling all the love in the room, turned to Jumba and leaned into him. His lips almost touched his had Jumba not abruptly put his hands in front of the noodle.

"Don't even be thinking about that." He demanded.

Pleakley shrugged and settled for just a hug. Jumba let him for only a second before roughly pushing him away. They noticed Nani, David, Angel, and Kixx were staring at them wide eyed. Pleakley and Jumba blushed in humiliation before turning their attentions back to Lilo and Stitch, who were still kissing each other.

Finally, Lilo pulled away to rest her forehead against his. "I was so worried. I thought I lost you."

"Can't get rid of me that easily." Stitch smirked as he pulled her down to smash his lips against hers.

Jumba cleared his throat loudly so the two lovers would stop. Lilo pulled away from Stitch, who settled for just draping his arms around her waist. "How are you feeling 626?"

"I feel that all of you should leave the room and let me and my buchee-bu have some time to ourselves." Stitch replied and everyone laughed, save for Nani who looked slightly reluctant to that idea. When everyone's laughter died down, Stitch added. "Seriously."

"Oh." Jumba nodded then motioned everyone to evacuate the room.

When everyone was out of the room, Stitch clutched Lilo's wrist and pulled her down almost forcefully. Lilo's lips met his and she kissed him happily. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her full body on the bed. Lilo separated from his lips, sitting up on the bed. Stitch stroked her sides. "What happened?"

"You almost died." Lilo whispered somberly. "Are you still hurting anywhere?"

"Will you kiss it to make it feel better?" Stitch asked with a cheeky smile.

Lilo smiled. "Sure."

Stitch faked a gasp of pain and brought his hand to his mouth. "Ah, hurts! Lilo, ow help. Lips are hurting."

Lilo laughed. " It sounds like an emergency!"

"It is." Stitch replied and he placed his hand behind her head and pulled her down for a kiss.

Two days later, Stitch was still inside the spaceship. Even though Jumba had checked all over him and said he was going to be fine, he still wanted Stitch to get some rest. Lilo would come by everyday to talk to him, but she couldn't stay with him for long since he needed to nap. She would sleep with him every night so he would know that she was there, waiting for him to rise out of the bed.

One morning, Stitch felt his throat parched. He yelled for Jumba to get him some water, but as he waited, he realized he would just have to get it on his own. Lilo had already awoken before him and went inside the house to have breakfast, so he was completely alone. Groaning he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He jumped down to meet the floor with his feet and began walking. His legs felt like jelly since they hadn't moved and he collapsed a couple of times, but Stitch was persistent.

He walked out the door and over to the tiny fridge. He pulled the door open and reached in for the cold bottle of water. He drank it down thirstily, reveling in the cold liquid relieving his dried throat. He pulled the bottle back to see that it was completely empty. He tilted it downward only to see a small drop leak from the bottle. He studied it for a second before cramming the bottle into his mouth.

"626!" Jumba hollered from the entrance. "Why is 626 out of bed? Be getting back to bed! Now!"

"Jumba! I'm fine!" Stitch shouted back. "See? I'm perfectly well. I called for you, but you didn't answer so I got up myself!"

Before the argument could progress any further, an intruder entered the room. "Stitch! Good to see you up and moving!"

Stitch turned his head to see the pink experiment running up to him and wrapping him in a friendly embrace. "Aloha Angel. What brings you here?"

Angel thrust something into his chest. Stitch looked down and smiled. It was a ring, but not just any ring. It was the ring he had given to Lilo as a token of their pretend marriage. "I found this. I'm guessing Lilo found it and forgot to take it with her when she packed her things."

Stitch grinned as he took the ring from her. "I remember this. Lilo looked so happy, so beautiful."

Angel nudged him. "Stitch, now that Lilo's experiment, I don't think age matters anymore."

Stitch snapped his head back to her. "What do you mean?"

"Lilo's not aging anymore. She's not a little human girl that has to wait until she's nineteen to… marry the one she loves." Angel hinted.

Stitch looked down at the engagement ring. _Lilo and I can…get married? _Stitch turned his head to Jumba. "Isn't she still too young?"

Jumba shook his head. "Experiments do not age 626. You aren't even having age number. So… now that Little Girl is being experiment, she doesn't have age number as well."

Stitch thought about it, then gave the dirty ring to Jumba. "Wash this ring and get it as clean as you possibly can. I'm going to talk to Nani about this."

Jumba nodded and turned to the washroom where he scrubbed the dirt from the ring. Angel watched as Stitch hurried off to the Pelekai house with a smile. She looked down at the engagement ring on her finger, smiling as Kixx's proposal repeated through her mind. She sighed in happiness that finally everything was taking the correct turn and heading back on the track it had fallen off.

Stitch threw the door open, hardly containing his newfound vigor. He spotted David and Hale playing together on the floor. David looked up just as Stitch entered the room. "Stitch! Feeling any better?"

Stitch nodded. "Much better. Where's Nani? I have to talk to her."

David pointed in the direction of the bedroom. "She's in there getting herself ready for lunch. I'm taking her out to get away from all this craziness you know?"

Stitch nodded briefly then raced into the bedroom. David shrugged and continued playing with Hale on the floor. Stitch found Nani in a beautiful orange dress that clutched her curves. She was just applying her lipstick when she turned to see Stitch. She smiled. "Hey you. Good to see you moving around again."

Stitch nodded once more. "Can't lay in that bed forever now can I?"

Nani laughed. "Of course not. So, what brought you here?"

"Um Nani…" Stitch began as he scratched the back of his head in apprehensiveness. "Lilo's not a human anymore."

Nani stared at him with a puzzled look. "I know that."

"So, she doesn't have to wait until she's nineteen to… you know… get married." Stitch finished slowly.

Nani dropped her mouth in shock. "You mean… you want to… marry her now? After all that's happened?"

"Please Nani." Stitch pleaded. "Lilo's an experiment and experiments don't age. I love her so much Nani and I know she loves me just as much. Please don't make us wait any longer."

Nani sighed. A part of her wanted to tell Stitch that she wanted them to wait, but she knew that would just be ludicrous. Lilo wasn't a little girl anymore, she was now an experiment and a beloved girlfriend to Stitch. She knew experiments don't age, so what's the point in making them wait for five years? There was no point, she had to let go of her experiment sister.

Nani turned to Stitch. "You promise to love her?"

Stitch nodded. "I'll always love her."

"You won't hurt her?" She interrogated.

"Never." Stitch smiled at these questions. He knew that if he answered these questions correctly and honestly, then he knew Nani would allow him to propose to Lilo.

"You'll always be faithful to her?" Nani asked once more.

Stitch nodded. "Always."

Nani bit her lip. She knew how much Stitch truly loved Lilo. She saw that when Stitch thought she was gone forever. She knew Stitch would always protect Lilo and would never do anything that meant losing her. "I'm not entirely sure about this Stitch."

"Nani… how do you feel about David?" Stitch questioned.

"Well, I love him. He makes me laugh and he's always there to comfort me. He makes me feel happy and complete. I would just… die if I didn't have him with me." Nani explained.

"That's the same way Lilo feels about me and you know it." Stitch replied.

Nani sighed once more. "You two really love each other. Don't you?"

Stitch nodded his head. "Yes…" He trailed, expecting the permission.

After a little bit of debating, Nani finally caved in. "Okay. You can marry her."

"Now?" Stitch asked eagerly.

Nani laughed. "Okay fine. Go get that ring, go find her, and make her the happiest girl, er, experiment on Earth."

Stitch's head shook up and down elatedly. "Thanks Nani."

He almost bounced to the door and was about to exit until he heard Nani call out to him. He turned his head back at her in question. "Stitch, promise me one thing though."

"Yeah?" Stitch asked.

"No kids please." Nani pleaded. "You, Lilo, David, and Hale are enough for me to handle in this household."

Stitch laughed. "Don't worry. I'm sure Lilo would rather wait on that too."

Meanwhile, Lilo was on top the tree house. Her hands dangled over the railing as the summer breeze gently swept through her fur. She looked out to the ocean blue sea that stretched for miles. She wondered how Stitch was faring inside the ship and briefly wondered if he wanted her to accompany him. She wanted to go back to him, but something was making her stay and enjoy the view. She decided to stay, looking out to the magnificent view of the island below her.

Her red floppy ears perked up at the sound of someone scaling along the tree trunk. She turned in surprise and fear, but relaxed when she saw Stitch heave himself up on the platform. Lilo raced to him, throwing her arms around him. Stitch hugged her tightly, smiling at the surprise that would soon follow after this embrace ended.

"Oh Stitch! I'm so happy for you. You can walk now!" Lilo said happily.

Stitch kissed her gently on the lips then took her hand to guide her to the railing. _This just might be the perfect spot. _Stitch thought. _The day's so beautiful, the view is gorgeous, and she is looking so beautiful with her smiling at me. This is the perfect place and time. _He turned to Lilo, who was now looking over the railing to the lovely view before her. Stitch grasped her hand and made her turn to face him.

He stepped closer to her, cupping her cheeks in his hands. "Lilo," He began. "I've loved you so much when you were human. You always made me eager for the day because I knew that I would be able to spend it with you. I cherish every moment I have with you, because every moment I spend with you, let's me know I'm still alive. It's you Lilo that makes me happy, that makes me laugh, that makes me smile and makes me love. I loved you so much when you were human." He paused for a second, trying to come up with what to say next.

"Then when I thought you were gone, I felt as though I had no reason to live. I didn't know what to do. I never thought I would ever lose you, I thought I was going to live my entire life with you. When I found out I wasn't, I was depressed. I didn't want to live without you. I needed you in my life, wanted you beside me, I wanted you to be the one I love forever and ever. It took losing you that made me realized how much I wanted all of that, how much you meant to me, how much I love and care for you, how much I needed you with me for me to continue living. Then I got you back and I… I was happy again! Experiment or human form, it's you Lilo that makes me happy. No one has made me feel the way that you do. Not Angel, certainly not Arlene, but you. I love you." Stitch kissed away the tears that had begun forming in her honey brown eyes. He knelt down on one knee, still holding her hand.

Lilo gasped. "Stitch? W-what are you-"

"Lilo, I love you so much. To lose you again would kill me. I need you in my life and I need you now." His extra arms extended and Lilo had the feeling she recognized this. She gasped when he pulled out a ring. The engagement ring her mother had worn to prove her sworn love to Lilo's father, the ring Stitch had slipped on her finger when he asked her to pretend marriage to him, that ring he was now holding up to her while kneeling on his knee and staring at her with such hope and love. "Will you marry me?"

Lilo laughed. "Stitch, you already did this before. Last time was sweet and this time is even sweeter, but you already did this before. What are you doing? Renewing our vows?"

Stitch grinned. "No, I'm asking you to marry me. For real."

Lilo's eyes widened. "You mean…"

"You're an experiment now and experiments don't age. I asked Nani and she said it was okay. Jumba already called the grand council woman and she's getting somebody to marry us." Stitch replied.

Lilo smiled. "So, we're, I, we," She couldn't form a perfect sentence. Her surprise was just overwhelming.

"Only if you say yes…" Stitch replied in a happy sing song voice.

"Yes!" Lilo screamed and he got up. Before he could place the ring on her finger, she had leapt into his arms. Stitch picked her up, she clenched his hips with her legs, and he began swinging her around, both of them laughing in ecstasy. "I will marry you! I will!"

Stitch pulled his head away from her neck to ravish her lips with his. Lilo returned the kiss with just as much passion. She gently slid from his body until her feet met the wooden floor. As he kissed her, Lilo felt him grasp her hand and slip the ring onto her finger. Stitch pulled away, their heads bumping gently together. They held each other in silence for a moment.

"I love you wifey." Stitch replied.

Lilo laughed. "I love you too hubby."

There they stood together as the morning sun's rays spilled on top their bodies. Two people that loved each other so much were now going to enjoy a life together as a married couple. They had suffered through so much with each other and they knew there were more sufferings up ahead for them. However, they knew that even if bad things happen, they would be able to overcome it. Together, as one, they will triumph over what life throws at them. As long as they have each other, that's all they need.

Note: I hope you find this ending acceptable. I'm not too sure about the Lilo and Stitch marrying thing, but if I went with the previous ending, it would be entirely too short and I'm sure you guys would not appreciate it. Thanks for your reviews and encouragement.

STORY ALERT! (Yes Hamishwarfare I am a machine. Lol)

Rekindled Love (Title may change though)-WARNING! Character death in main character! Sensitive to Lilo dying, for real, do not read! Yes, I know I am being mean to Lilo with her having cancer in MTB, having her in danger in HC, almost killing her off in LAD, now I'm going to have her dead for real. How mean can I possibly get with this poor girl?

Rekindled Love- Stitch is battling in a vicious war over planet Turo while Lilo is married, caring for her daughter, and stressing over work. One night, Stitch gets word that Lilo is deathly sick from all the stress. He flies back to Earth and along the way, Stitch remembers how their romance started and how it ended.


End file.
